Hold On to Me
by whitelips paleface
Summary: In 1921 Esme believed she lost her baby boy, and jumped off that cliff that brought her to her family. However, what if Esme had twins- a boy and a girl. She's alive and is furiously lookin for her mother.
1. Found

**I have previously written a story about how Esme had twins, and only knew about her son. I decided to revisit that story line and rewrite it. Hopefully you guys like it!**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

* * *

**~.~.~**

"_**Remember me with smiles and laughter,**__**  
**__**for that is how I will remember you all.**__**  
**__**If you can only remember me with tears,**__**  
**__**then don't remember me at all."**_

**~.~.~**

_1939_

_It was the summer of 1939, and it was a hot night in Ohio. Her calves were burning from all the running she had done. Her skirt was ragged as she rolled and jumped to try to escape from her abuser. She has endured eighteen years of constant abuse and neglect. Now that she was able to do so, she made a run for freedom. However, he didn't seem it was right for her to leave the person who has "supported" her. _

_Slowing down to catch her breath she heard footsteps, and quickly tensed up. The footsteps got closer and closer and she heard a dark chuckle behind her. She held her breath and let it out in scream. She felt burning and fell to the floor in the dark alley. Why did she feel like she was going to burn?_

* * *

_Present Day_

Its been eighty years since that fateful night. However, she has lost hope so many times that she just wanted to end it. Eighty years of searching for her mother, but it seemed as if she didn't want to be found. Every single clue she had found, it seemed to be a dead end; so, she had to start all over again.

Her hands slammed on the steering wheel of the rental car that she was driving. How much longer until she found her again? Sighing she unbuckled her seatbelt and slid lower in the seat as she watched the people come in and out of the hospital. Somehow, she has made her way to Connecticut. In every single state she had been to, for the past eighty years, she watched every hospital. Even for a single glimpse of _her._

She's been sitting there for about an hour and a half, and she was beginning to lose hope. She straightened up and moved to turn on the engine. However, when she glanced up, she couldn't help but gasp. It was _her._

It had to be her. Her caramel hair was pulled up in a high chic ponytail and had a coat over her skirt and blouse with a pair of the highest heels she could imagine. Her heart shaped face had a smile on her face as she existed the hospital doors and was followed by a tall blonde man who happened to be one of the most handsome man she has ever seen. She stared at them in awe, they had to be the most breathtaking couple. If her heart could beat again, it'd be racing. All hope was regained.

**~.~.~**

_Cullen Residence_

The main house was relatively quiet when Esme and Carlisle pulled up in separate cars. Esme was about to open her car door when her car door opened to see her husband open it for her. She smiled and received his hand when he offered it to her.

"What a gentleman, Doctor Cullen." She said, staring at her husband lovingly. He kissed her forehead gently and pulled her close to him.

Carlisle chuckled and hugged her tightly swaying them back and forth. "Did you expect anything less?" he said in a teasing tone, raising an eyebrow that he know she wouldn't see.

Esme kissed his jaw and shook her head. "Of course not, darling." She murmured against his jaw as she kept placing kisses in the same spot, slowly trailing down his throat, causing him to groan and shudder in pleasure. "Always a gentleman, since the first day I opened my eyes until now." She whispered, looking up to meet his eyes.

He sighed as he looked at her and smiled at his lovely wife. He was lucky to finder her again after ten years. He kissed her head and left his lips there as they held each other. They always cherished their time together, as they were just embracing each other. Almost a hundred years together, and they were just as in love as they were back all those years ago.

However, it also meant almost a hundred years without her baby. Almost a hundred years of mourning over the death of her child, and it always be that. Sometimes, she didn't feel the same pain. She felt as if he was still around in some way.

There was a rustling in the trees, and Carlisle tensed up but tightened his grip on his mate, his love. There was a new scent in the air, a scent that was similar to the one that intoxicates him, however it was different.

"A nomad?" Esme whispered against his chest, as he held her head there, in a form of defending her, and keeping her safe.

"I don't know." He said furrowing his eyebrows, as he heard the footsteps get closer. He listened intently as he heard them slow down when they got closer to the house. Once they reach the clearing, they stopped. "Come out, we mean no harm." He called out confidently, trying to hide his nerves.

There was a moment of silence, and Esme stirred in his arms, trying to break free to turn and look at the incomer, however Carlisle only tightened his hold on her without hurting her. There was a sigh that came from a female in the trees and then they heard branches move, and someone stepped out of the clearing.

For a moment, Carlisle held his breath as he saw the sight in front of him. It was a petite girl, a little taller than Alice, with caramel curls, much like Esme's. Her heart shaped face had big red eyes staring back at him. The resemblance was uncanny.

"Carlisle?" he heard his wife call for him, louder now as he knew she was growing impatient. He let go of his hold on her and let her turn around.

There was a gasp from both of them, and Esme reached for Carlisle's hand, reaching for support that she didn't know she needed.

The young girl stared at them but kept her distance. "Hello." She whispered after what felt like an eternity of silence. Her face contorted and it looked like she was about to cry at the sight of the strangers in front of them. Only, she knew that Esme was her mother.

* * *

**Short I know, but it's only the first chapter and I feel really iffy about it. Let me know if I should continue or not, I'll have the second chapter up soon. I have my first story up, Innocence. Read that if you want but keep in mind, I am going to change her name. **

**Sorry if Carlisle seemed too much, but I wanted him to be the first one to see her. Don't fret however, I will continue to write my Nessie, Carlisle, and Esme stories while I write this one!**

**Anyway, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

_**I proofread once before posting, so I sincerely apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors.**_


	2. Family

**I am so overwhelmed by the love that I have received over the last chapter! Thank you all for your kind words! **

**I always pictured if Esme did have a daughter, for her to look like Alexis Bledel, or in this case a younger Alexis Bledel so picture her lol. This story doesn't intertwine with my other current stories that I will be posting just because this is a concept that I want to play around with. **

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

**~.~.~**

Silence. That's all that there was after she uttered that word. Esme and her look-a-like stared at each other in awe. Carlisle stood there, looking at both of them comparing them both. It was as if he was looking at the sixteen-year-old who's leg he tended to all those years ago.

The silence was deafening. Mustering up the courage, the girl in front of them stepped forward. "Before you guys say or do anything, please hear me out." She looked at Esme in the eye, with pleading eyes waiting for a nod or a yes. When she received a nod from both, she continued. "My name is Ava Hazel Evenson," Ava paused when she heard a sharp gasp come from someone in front of her.

"H-how?" Esme stuttered stepping forward, inching closer to Ava, getting a better look at her.

Ava shrugged and looked down sheepishly. "I don't remember much, but I do remember that Grandma Margaret told me that I had a twin, my brother who died two days after I was born. I guess you thought you only gave birth to the one." Shaking her head, she looked away and breathed in. "They searched for your any relative of yours, and they reached your mother, my Grandma Margaret. She's the one that named me Ava, but soon my father found me. It's been history since then." Ava breathed out as she finished her small speech, recounting the most she could from her human life.

This time it was Carlisle who spoke up. "Of course, in the morgue that night they were viciously looking for a baby girls family member. But who changed you? How?" He said, wrapping his arm around Esme, trying to provide her comfort.

Ava sighed and stepped closer this time only a few feet away, her eyes never leaving her mothers face. She could see the pain in her eyes, the misery, and the love. "Who? I don't know to this day. I was running away from home the night I turned 18, Charles was behind me most of the time, however I don't think it was him." She said kicking the dirt, as that was one of her most vivid memories.

A whimper left Esme's lips and gently reached for the young girls face and wiped some hair out of her face. "Oh baby." Her lips quivered, and if she could be crying, she would be by now. "How did you find me?" She said admiring her, as the connection was being made.

Ava smiled softly and without second guessing, she leaned into her gentle touch. "I had crashed a medical convention in 1940 and I saw you and your mate, I'm assuming? I saw your face and I just knew and recognized you from one of Grandma Margaret's paintings. So, I asked a fellow doctor, and since then I've been scouting and stalking every hospital in the nation." Ava finished with a small smile.

Esme finally pulled her into a hug. It was those hugs that you could live in their embrace forever. It was a hug that they both didn't know they needed. Ava couldn't help but tighten her arms around her mother. _Her mother._ It was something she had to get used to.

Esme pulled back and choked back a sob and looked over to her husband excitedly. "Honey, I always felt something in my heart. I knew that another part of me was out there somewhere, I didn't know." She turned to Ava and sobbed again, realizing that she had to live with _that monster_ for eighteen years of her life. "Oh baby, I'm so sorry. He must have been horrible." She said shaking her head, not being able and not wanting to imagine how horrible he was to her poor baby.

Pursing her lips, she shook her head and smiled. "I got through it." With a shrug she looked over at Carlisle.

Esme followed her gaze and quickly went over to her husband's side and hugged his waist. "Oh sorry, I know we all just met but, this is my husband Doctor Carlisle Cullen." Lovingly looking up to her husband, he returned the look and smiled as he kissed her head. "He found me in the morgue and took me back to his house and changed me." She said smiling, recounting those memories.

Ava couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of her. She was glad she got away from Charles and finally was able to be happy. The way the looked at each other, was something that would be the envy of many. There was a loud smash from the inside of the house, and all three looked over to where the noise came from. Esme sighed while Carlisle rolled his eyes as he walked up the steps. Esme stayed behind and smiled at Ava. "Come inside and meet my crazy family."

**~.~.~**

The seven vampire teens in the house were all arguing at the same time, shortly after something was broken. It was a sunny day all day, so they decided to stay in. After a day of hunting, they settled into the family room and decided to play Uno. Little did they know; it was going to be the most frustrating game of Uno. Bella was using her shield on everyone so Edward couldn't read their next moves, and Alice couldn't see their next decision. The winner was Renesmee, given the fact that it was her first time playing. Emmett furious, got up from his seat and accidently knocked over an antique. Esme's antique.

"Emmett, I swear to God! You're always messing it up for everyone!" Alice spat at him, standing on a chair to be level with him.

Emmett stared at her and pushed her head back with his hand, which caused her to stumble. "Excuse me, Tinkerbell? As I recall, I do remember you burning Esme's rug!" he groaned, crossing his arms against his chest.

"That was thirty years ago!" she squeaked out, annoyed at the fact that he was still throwing it in her face all these years later.

The fell silent when Esme followed hot on Carlisle's heels, but someone else was standing next to the matriarch. She had a smirk on her face, taking in the scene in front of her.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked, clearly annoyed and embarrassed as this was how his kids were acting in front of Ava.

"I knocked over Esme's favorite vase. Pops, I swear it was an accident!" Emmett said defensively not noticing the girl that looked exactly like his adoptive vampire mother. "Esme I swe-." He cut himself off short, his gaze finally falling on her. "Whoa, did you clone yourself, momma?" he said taken aback.

Carlisle cleared his throat and gestured at Esme's daughter. "This is Ava." He said before facing his teenagers. "She's Esme's daughter." He said with a smile as he saw Esme beam with pride.

Soon everyone was bombarding the three with questions, and as soon as they came flying at them, those questions were answered by none other than Ava herself.

"Told you my family was crazy." Esme giggled, as she saw Ava's face. It was just too much to take in. All these random people coming at her from all sorts of angles. "Let me introduce you to my Brady Bunch. This one is Edward," Esme paused gesturing to Edward who was intently studying her. "He was my first son; he and Carlisle were previously living together before I joined and invaded their bachelor pad." Esme said when Edward scoffed, and Carlisle choked.

"Then this is Rosalie, Carlisle saved her one night. Here is the rowdiest of them all, Emmett. He was mauled by a bear, but Rose brought him to Carlisle. Then we have Alice and Jasper they found us. Finally, Bella and Renesmee, Bella is Edward's wife, and Renesmee is their daughter." Esme finished off coming in full circle.

Ava waved to everyone, and she couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable she called them her family. She probably moved on from her and her twin brother. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she shifted her wait as she tuned everyone out getting lost in her thoughts. Maybe she shouldn't have come here, maybe it was a mistake following them from the hospital.

"You're wrong you know, Ava." Edward cut in, pulling her out of her thoughts. Ava was confused and just stared at him in confusion. "Do you know how many nights Esme mourns? Every single night." Edward sighed and stepped closer to his mother's biological daughter.

"How did you do that?" Ava whispered; her eyes wide as saucers.

"He's a mind reader, it's annoying. Pixie over here can see the future, Jasper can feel and control everyone's emotions, and Nessie here can communicate with her touch." Emmett cut in, waving his hand around as if it was the most natural thing.

Ava nodded; her mouth still agape. She was aware that people her kind could possess powers, she did have a power as well but never used it. "Sorry if I intruded in anything, I-I'm probably being a burden." Ava said softly, looking at the family that her mother had formed. At least she had the satisfaction to have known her mother.

Esme shook her head and took her hand and pulled her down to sit next to her on the couch. "You're not a burden, darling! If anything, I'm over the moon! Why don't you stay a couple of days while you decide what you want to do?" Esme asked, hope filled her eyes and sadness.

Ava chewed on her bottom lip and looked around the room. "I don't…" she trailed off.

"I for one think that it'd be a great idea." Alice chirped with a grin, looking at her new sister. Everyone agreed with Alice and Ava felt a wave of ease wash over her.

"Okay" Ava said looked at her mom and smiled as she embraced her daughter. Maybe she'll have a family after all.

**~.~.~**

Ava didn't have much as she had traveled all over the country looking for her mother. Esme had showed her to a spare room that had an en-suite restroom and let her borrow a change of clothes that Alice had lent her, along with a fluffy towel. Ava looked out the window as she saw the sky filled with stars. The same sky and stars that she would look up to at night and wish to find her mother. Now that she had done so, she silently thanked her stars and sighed. She dropped her robe as she walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower head.

She let the hot water wash out the day from her, as she finally breathed easily. There was a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. She was in there for what seemed an hour contemplating the days events. Everyone had seemed so welcoming and loving. Esme's adoptive kids were nothing but encouraging, happy that there was a new sparkle in her eyes. Turning the nobs of the shower, she changed into the leggings and t-shirt that Alice had lent her.

When she opened the door, she saw Esme sitting down on the bed staring out the window. Her hair was now down and covered her face a bit. When she heard her come out of the shower, she turned her head and smiled at her. Patting the spot next to her Ava smiled and couldn't help but happily crawled into the bed next to her mother, finally having some alone time with her.

"Feeling better?" Esme looked over at her daughter who was untangling her caramel colored hair.

"Oh much better." Ava chuckled and leaned back on the headboard. It felt as if this was the most normal thing she has ever done, to crawl into bed to be in company with her mom.

Esme smiled and grabbed her hand. "You know, I don't think I've felt this complete. There was this void in my heart for the past ninety-eight years," she explained as she leaned back as well, and laid her head on top of Ava's. "Like Edward said, I've mourned every single day. Not a day has passed where I didn't miss my baby. Now I know what baby I have missed all these years." Esme blinked back tears that she knew were never going to come. She was taken aback when she felt Ava cuddle into her.

Ava cuddled into her, without hesitation. "You have a beautiful family." She said absentmindedly looking up at the ceiling.

Esme stroked her wet hair and smiled. "They're your family now too." She whispered.

"Mm, what does Carlisle think?" Ava said worried that he wouldn't care for her.

Chuckling she sat up and got off the bed. "Trust me, he thinks of you as a daughter now too." She said softly. "I'm upstairs and down the hall if you need anything." She said gently, wishing she could stay with her forever, but she had a husband to attend to.

**~.~.~**

Esme plopped down on the bed next to Carlisle as she got ready for 'bed'. It was a nightly ritual that helped her connect to her human life. Pulling up the sheets up to her chin, Carlisle wrapped an arm around her snuggling close to her, taking in her scent.

She sighed with contentment and leaned in deeper to Carlisle. "Darling, there's a sparkle in your eyes, that it's contagious." Carlisle murmured against her hair with a smile.

Esme looked and grinned at her husband. "Really, love?" Esme reached up to move the hair that had fallen onto his eyes.

Carlisle nodded and kissed her forehead, with so much love. "Yes, mi amor. She looks so much like you; she reminds me of the young girl I met all those years ago." He hugged her close to his chest. "Esme, love, if it's her you want and she wants you as well, she's welcome here." Carlisle whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

Smiling happily, she felt as if her family was now complete. "Oh, darling! I'm so glad! Carlisle are you sure about this though?" she asked concerned, if he really was okay with this.

He chuckled and pulled her on top of him as he heard that laugh that he loved so much. "I want to get to know her as much as you do. I can see how much she loves you already, and you her." He said closing his eyes as she laid her head in the crook of his neck.

"I do, I really do. I feel like my family is finally complete." She smiled at the thought of having her daughter with her. _Her _daughter. Never did she think she would have a daughter of her own, her smile faltered slightly knowing it wasn't with her Carlisle, but she loved her just the same.

**Okay I cranked this out, and it's not as bad as I thought it was ha. Will Carlisle form a relationship with Esme's daughter? Who **_**really**_** did turn Ava? What **_**is**_** her power? After this chapter, I'm planning on uploading weekly. **

**I was re-watching Greys Anatomy and it was during the Ava/Rebecca episodes so that's where Ava stemmed from lol. Fun fact, Ava means life or living one.**

_**I proofread once before posting, so I sincerely apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors.**_


	3. New Diet

**Last chapter was more-so a filler.**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight. **

**~.~.~**

There were times where Ava wished she could sleep. Last night was no different. She laid down on her bed, scrolling through her phone all night. The house was deep in the forest and all she could hear were the woodland creatures, the sound of a river nearby, and the leaves on the trees brushing against each other. It felt as if everything was just a blur in her mind. Everything happened so fast. Ava didn't think that she was going to find her at all. Now she had to decide if she wanted to stay or not. She wasn't sure if finding her mom gave her the satisfaction she needed, she needed more.

Sitting up on her bed, she sighed and looked out the window. The sun was slowly peeking out from behind the trees. Throughout the night, the house was quiet. Although she did hear the shower running multiple times, the washing machine and dryer through the night, and some soft music coming from one room. Getting up slowly from the bed, she opened up the window and let the morning air infiltrate the room.

Quickly making the bed, she looked around the room that she was inhabiting at the moment. There was a wall dedicated to a shelf filled with books, cd's, and some vinyls with a record player. Her finger grazing each one, a specific one caught her eyes. It was a Beach Boys vinyl record of Sunflower. She carefully slipped the record out of its packaging and placed the record on the record player.

The sounds of their song _Forever_ filled the room, and she couldn't help but smile. It was one of her favorite songs. There was a soft knock on the door before it opened to show Edward behind it. "It's Esme's favorite song too, as is Carlisle's. They sometimes sit in his study and listen to this song or sing it to each other. Quite corny, I know." He scoffed, picking up the packaging of the record and studied it.

Ava smiled and shook her head. "I remember when I first heard it, I had all these what if scenarios in my head." She said looking at Edward, marveling at his eye color. They all had the same eye color; it was a beautiful rich golden color. "I imagined having this picture-perfect family, a mom and a dad, a dog running around the house. I imagined Esme loving me and being the perfect mother. I imagined a world where my mother would help me get ready for the school dance and shushing a jealous father as my date came to pick me up." She looked longingly at a picture that was in the room. It was a family picture. Esme and Carlisle were in the middle, Esme held a smaller Nessie in her lap, with Rosalie, Emmett, and Edward on her side, while Alice, Jasper, and Bella were on Carlisle's side. They all had bright smiles plastered on their pale faces.

Edward sighed and set down the casing and smirked. "The dog comes to visit Renesmee once a month, and you'll have all of that. If you choose to stay."

Ava bit back a laugh when he said, 'the dog comes to visit', but she was genuinely intrigued. "The dog?" She said raising and eyebrow with a huge smile on her lips.

"Yes, the dog, the mongrel, whatever you would like to call him. His name is Jacob and he is Bella's best friend from when she was human. Now he's Renesmee's best friend. Thank God he didn't imprint on her." He scoffed with a roll of his eyes. Imprint on Renesmee? "He's a werewolf, if you didn't catch on." He chuckled and saw that Ava nodded her head now understanding the full picture.

"Esme said that Renesmee was your daughter with Bella, how?" She asked with a soft voice not wanting to come off as completely nosy.

"Don't worry, you're not nosy." He teased her, reading her mind. "Bella and I got married when she was still human and when we went on our honeymoon, we consummated the marriage,"

"I'm surprised you didn't kill her." Ava interrupted with a scoff, and it earned her a laugh as well.

"Well not then, anyway. Anyway, she got pregnant and we had to fly back to Forks so Carlisle could 'fix it'. Which, I'm glad Bella was so stubborn and set on keeping her. Nessie was killing her from the inside, the way Bella looked, it was horrible. But Nessie was born a month or two later and she's brought so much joy to everyone's life. She's only eleven. However, she ages so quick that she reached maturity at the age of seven." He said staring at Ava whose mouth had hung open while he was revisiting his memories.

"So, she's half vampire, half human?" Ava asked slowly, trying to make sense of the situation.

Nodding his head, he smiled at her. "Yes, she is. I heard you thinking about a power that you never used, do you mind if I ask what it is?"

Biting her lip, her eyes darted around the room, the sun already high enough to illuminate the town. "I mean I used it once, but never again did I use it. It's useless." She scoffed, but it wasn't useless to the family she used it on.

Edward still looked confused, not being able to get an idea on what it was by just picking through her brain. However, he didn't want to press the idea further. "I have to get going, we all have school. Just think about what I said. Everything you wanted can be yours if you stay." He said before slipping out the door leaving a shocked Ava behind.

It's been eighty years since she's been to school. Not since she was human, she couldn't imagine enduring high school for so many years. The whole time she was with Edward, she didn't notice the noise level had risen in the house, as everyone was getting ready for school.

Her door burst open and in came prancing a very bubbly Alice. "Morning, Ava!" Alice sang with a bundle of clothes in her arms. "So, I know you don't have much, I brought you some of my clothes seeing as you're about my size. Don't worry, we'll go shopping soon!" Alice sat down the clothes at the foot of the bed and beamed at Ava.

"Do you even breathe?" she chuckled at how she let everything out without so much as a pause.

"Don't have to, remember?" Alice giggled and gave her a big hug. "See you later!" Alice called out before closing the door behind her.

Ava heard a couple of the cars leave the garage and race down the driveway. It was just her, Esme and Carlisle. She's surprised that Esme wasn't the first one to greet her this morning. Going through the clothes that Alice had brought, they were simple every day clothes that she was able to wear, thankfully.

**~.~.~**

Esme was downstairs in the kitchen making breakfast for Nessie before she left for school. She didn't know if it was the right thing to do to not go in right away this morning. Esme shook her head and turned off the stove as she was done making the French toast for her granddaughter.

"Morning, Mamma Esme!" Renesmee called as she walked into the main house, backpack on her shoulder, her parents in back of her.

"Morning, sweetie." Esme smiled at her and placed the French toast on a plate and onto the table.

Esme turned to wash the dishes, as she did so, she couldn't help but think about last night's events. It was wild in her mind how twenty-four hours ago everything seemed normal to her now. A couple of hours ago, everything changed. She met her daughter she didn't know that she had, and her heart has never felt so complete, so full. Of course, it still saddens her that she still lost her baby boy. Before she knew it, everyone was out of the house except for Carlisle and Ava.

_Ava._

Ava did remind her of her younger self. Now she wondered if she had those same hazel eyes that Esme had when she was younger, the same sassy and stubborn personality when she wanted something. Obviously, she had to as she kept looking for her after all these years. Placing the dish towel on the counter, she turned on her heel and began to ascend the stairs to go check on her daughter. What if she didn't want to stay? Shaking the thought out of her head, she sighed and stopped in front of her door.

She gave the door a knock and heard a soft come in come from the other side of the door. Opening it gently, she saw that Ava was sitting on the bed with one of the books from the shelf on her lap. Smiling gently, she walked over to the bed and sat on the foot of the bed. "Morning, sweetie."

"Good morning." Ava smiled, not knowing if to call her mom or Esme, so she kept it safe and just decided on not calling her anything.

Esme's face fell slightly but quickly recovered. "How did you cope last night?" Her eyes scanning her face, to see if she could read anything.

"It was alright, different." Ava shrugged, closing the book in her lap and setting it aside. "Edward came to talk to me earlier." She mentioned, raising an eyebrow at her mother.

Nodding, Esme brought up one leg and brought it close to her, holding her ankle. "He's a sweetheart."

"Your kids seem very nice." Ava bit her lip and sighed, playing with the hem of her shirt. "Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead, you can ask me anything."

"How do you guys get that eye color? I've never seen one like it before?" Ava asked, staring at the golden orbs before her.

Esme chuckled and grabbed her hand, which she was pleased that Ava held on to it tighter. "We have a different diet than most of our kind." Esme said carefully and smiled at the face that Ava had made confused, nonetheless. "We don't hunt humans. We hunt animals, vegetarians if you will."

The younger vampire looked at her mother with a confused face. "So, you guys don't drink human blood at all? Is that why Carlisle works as a doctor?" She asked genuinely intrigued by the fact that they could survive on animal blood.

"Well, given that he was born in the sixteen-hundreds, he's had plenty of training. Carlisle is the one who started hunting animal blood. He taught us all, I guess you could say." Esme shrugged, looking down, remembering her handful of slip ups.

"If I choose to stay, will I have to adapt to this new diet?" Ava asked closing her eyes, slowly regretting her choice of words. She didn't want to get Esme's hopes up if she didn't truly intend on staying. The thing is that she didn't even know if she wanted to stay or not. Everything just happened so fast, she never had a plan planned out if she ever did find her mother.

"We won't make you do anything you don't want to do. If you want to try it out and see how you like it, then go ahead. Like I said, we won't force you to anything." Part of Esme was trying to ease Ava's mind, and herself. They wouldn't force Ava to stay or try a new diet, if she didn't want to.

"I want to." Ava rushed out. "The new diet, I mean." Clearing her throat and giving Esme a weak smile.

"Carlisle and I were going to hunt together, before he heads out for his shift, if you'd like to come. If you want, you can just watch." Esme said, in a reassuring manner hoping not to freak her out.

Ava nodded and stood up. "I'll do it."

**~.~.~**

The family room was so empty and quiet without the Brady Bunch as Esme had previously called them. Ava had come downstairs, ready to go hunting with Esme and Carlisle. Examining her nails, she sighed not knowing what to expect. She had worn a pair of jeans that Alice had leant her, and a black long sleeve with her high tops.

"Hello, Ava." Carlisle welcomed her as he noticed her sitting on their couch and suppressed a chuckle when he saw that he had startled her.

Composing herself as much as she could, she turned to smile at the doctor in front of her. "Hello, Doctor Cullen." She mentally kicked herself for calling him Doctor Cullen, however she didn't know exactly what to call him. She didn't know him well enough to call him Carlisle.

"Please, call me Carlisle." He smiled at the eighteen-year old in front of him. "Esme tells me you're joining us?" He asked.

Ava nodded and sighed leaning back on the couch. "Yeah, I thought I'd see how your diet works." Ava smirked, she felt as if she was talking to one of her old friends, discussing a new ridiculous new diet they were on.

Carlisle chuckled and shook his head, taking a seat next to Ava. "It is quite unconventional, as it's not as satisfying as human blood, but we've grown used to it." Carlisle said, looking at Ava as she looked outside with a blank expression.

Poor girl, he imagined had gone through some traumatic experiences. He didn't know if she was tense around everyone or just him. He tried to go with the former. All his other kids grew up with some sort of parents in their lives that loved them in their human years, yet Ava did not. For most of her human life, Ava was convinced that her mother was dead, and her father was an abusive monster.

"Is it hard? To get used to the blood, I mean?" Ava asked pulling her out of his train of thoughts.

"It's manageable with the right mindset." Carlisle pursed his lips, thinking back at how Alice and Jasper coped with adjusting to their new lifestyle. "You'll do fine, Ava." He said offering her a grin.

Ava smiled shyly at him and sighed. "Thank you." Ava whispered.

"For what?"

"For loving Esme. For showing her what love is. For giving her a family. Also, for letting me stay here when I know it is an inconvenience." Ava finally looked over at Carlisle, giving him a smile.

Carlisle was slightly taken a-back. He didn't know what to say. "I-well, I really do love Esme. She's made me a better man, and I've never been happier. As for you staying with us, you're special Ava Hazel." He said softly, feeling happy at the look she was giving him. She looked happy, a genuine happy.

"Ready?" Esme said walking into the living room, zipping up her sweater and giving them a pearly white smile.

"Ready." Both Carlisle and Ava replied in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.

**~.~.~**

They were running through the forest, Ava following their lead. Ava admired how the interacted with each other. He would make sure she was okay while they were running. He would point out roots sticking out or large rocks, so she made sure to avoid them. He helped them both get over the river, not because they needed it but because it was the polite thing to do.

They were a good ten miles away from the house when they suddenly stopped. Then that's when Ava saw Esme lurch at a deer, and it was the most graceful yet savage thing she's seen. Her mouth was open as she saw her mother suck the blood out of the deer, and her eyes quickly went over to Carlisle who had just attacked another deer that was coming their way. He hugged the lifeless body close to him, as he took every single drop from the deer.

What surprised her the most is that they didn't just leave the bodies there. No, they did not. They buried the bodies properly. It made her admire them even more. "Ava, want to try?" Carlisle asked, as he saw the way they covered the bodies.

"I-I don't think I would be able to manage." She said meekly, scared that she would scare all the other wild life around.

"You can do it, honey." Esme smiled, wiping her mouth of any traces of blood.

Ava bit her lip and looked between Carlisle and Esme and nodded. They went further up a couple more miles, where there was clearing of a whole heard of deer. She focused on one that was distracted eating in the field. "You have to focus, Ava. Try to be as light as you can. If you can't get it, don't worry." Carlisle murmured close to her ear as she crouched down, ready to spring into action.

Taking a deep breath, she sprung at the deer and jumped on its back, making the deer fall and they rolled on the ground, the deer almost escaping her grasp, grabbing onto a leg, she bit it hard, causing it to fall and yelp in pain.

She let the warm blood trickle into her mouth. It wasn't as sweet as human blood, but it still felt good on her lips. She moved over to the neck of the deer and continued her feast. Letting Carlisle burry the body, she turned to Esme and saw how proud she was.

Esme walked towards her and smiled. "You did amazing, sweetie!" Esme said giving her a quick hug and noticed she had blood on the corner of her lip. Without thinking, Esme grabbed the hem of her sleeve and wiped the remains of the blood from her lip. "There" she whispered, as Ava looked shocked.

"Thank you." Ava smiled at her, and heard Carlisle coming up towards them.

"Let's keep going, shall we?" Carlisle asked, grabbing his wife's hand with care and affection.

And off they went, hunting for an hour or so, until all three of them seemed satisfied with their thirst. Ava couldn't help but feel excited on the inside. This was the first real 'bonding' time that she had with Esme. It made her feel so giddy and happy, that there were no words to describe what she was feeling. She still had her reservations, however. She didn't want to get too attached.

For the first time, she felt happy.

* * *

**Chapter three is done! I'm trying to keep the pace of this at a nice speed. If I'm going too fast or slow, let me know. **

**Spring Break is here, so I'll have more time to work on my story, so I don't know if I should upload as I finish my chapters while on break or stay with weekly uploads. **

**Also, let me know how her interactions with Carlisle and Edward were? Do you guys think she will stay?**


	4. Memories and McDreamy

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight. **

**~.~.~**

"Nessie eats human food?" Ava wrinkled her nose at the thought of eating human food. Memories of her few years of being a vampire, she remembered those awful nights where she would rid herself of the human food, making her feel weak and sluggish. Carlisle had just left to work after he showered as soon as they came back from hunting.

Esme nodded and added the needed ingredients for the pasta sauce that she was making from scratch. "Yeah, while she was a baby, she didn't like formula, but as she got older, she began to eat human food little by little. She'll come hunt with us though either way." She explained, bringing the spoon to her nose sniffing the sauce, checking if it was just right. Turning off the burner, she wiped washed her hands and wiped her hands on the kitchen towel.

Ava was sitting on one of the chairs that they had around the island, playing around with a piece of paper and pencil, sketching the sight in front of her. "It's crazy how there is a half human and half vampire out there." Ava murmured, trying to get the features of her mother just right.

Esme laughed and put everything she took out in their rightful place. "It's crazy how _we_ exist." Esme added, with a raised eyebrow.

Laughing, she shook her head and sighed happily at her work. In her sketch, Esme was sitting in front of the stove, stirring something in a small pot with a smile in her face. More times than not, Ava would hang out at parks and sit there for hours, and just sketch mothers with young children.

Esme peered over Ava's shoulders and gasped at the sketch. It was one of the best she's seen. "Ava, where did you learn to draw? This is amazing." Esme whispered, leaning in and taking in the attention to detail in the sketch.

"I guess all the spare time I had once I turned. I also took a few classes at the city college in Ohio." Ava shrugged and rotated the paper in her hands.

"You do well with humans?" Esme asked curious how she was able to do it.

"Yeah, it took me a year to not want to slaughter the whole town, but I manage quite well. As long as there is no fresh blood, I'm fine." Ava said nonchalantly and looked up at Esme with confused eyes.

Esme's brows were furrowed in confusion and sat down next to her. "It only took you a year?" Esme asked softly. "It took me almost a year."

"Everyone's different, I guess."

Nodding, Esme sighed and looked out the window noticing her kids' cars pulling into the driveway. Shortly after she noticed that they were bickering.

"Good gosh, Emmett why are you so inconsiderate?" Rosalie shrieked as they stormed in.

Emmett let out a booming laughter as he pushed the door open. "Oh, come on, Rosie! You run at vampire speed with your hair down!" Emmett rolled his eyes as he walked upstairs to set his stuff in his room.

Rosalie huffed and set her books on the island hiding her face in his hands. "He's insufferable sometimes." Rosalie muttered; her voice muffled behind her hands.

"You married him." Esme pointed out, kissing her temple with a laugh.

"I know, he's still my love." Rosalie looked at the drawing on the table in front of Ava. "Did you draw this Ava?" Rosalie asked her, giving her a smile.

Nodding shyly Ava slowly took the drawing and flipped it over. "Why hide it, it's really good. I thought Esme drew it." Rosalie encouraged her. "You should tell Esme to be your teacher."

"You draw?" Ava questioned, turning to look at her mother.

"Oh, she does more. She designed this whole house. She's like freaking wonder woman." Emmett came into the kitchen, his other siblings following close behind him.

"I'm no wonder woman, Em." Esme laughed. Emmett walked over to where his mom was sitting next to Ava.

"You're being modest, momma. You know, Zellie-"

"Whoa, Zellie?" Ava interrupted with an amused look.

Emmett laughed and pinched her nose, which Ava quickly swatted away. "Oh, yeah. It's your nickname from here on out."

"No, it's not." Ava snorted with laughter. "It's Ava."

Emmett acted as if he was thinking about it. "Nah, it's either Zellie or Nugget. You choose." Emmett said wiggling his eyebrows.

"He's going to call you whatever he pleases, just letting you know." Edward warned her under his breath.

Rosalie giggled and nodded along. "He will, don't fight it."

"Okay." Ava laughed.

Esme couldn't help but enjoy the way they were interacting. It came so easy to them, they welcomed her in so easily. Especially Rose. Esme was worried that she wouldn't take to her quite easily, but thankfully she did.

Esme got up from her seat and went over to the living room and sat down pulling her legs beneath her. She grabbed her sketchpad and leaned back on the couch cushions and just like Ava did not too long ago, she drew the sight in front of her. Rosalie was leaning on the island laughing at something, with Ava sitting down on the stool, Emmett ruffling her hair while she tried to swat him away. As she was drawing the image that was in her memory, she heard someone creep up behind her.

"Hello, Jasper." Esme smiled as he put a hand on her shoulder, sending her a wave of ease.

Jasper came and sat next to her and looked over to the kitchen. "Alice sees her staying, you know." He whispered, looking up at her through his lashes, hoping to help her be at ease a little bit.

Esme pursed her lips and set her sketchpad on her lap. "I don't want to pressure her into anything, Jasper."

"But you won't pressure her into anything, Mom. She'll come onto the decision on her own. Just make sure you bond with her, as well as Carlisle. She needs to know that you guys want her." Jasper patted her knee and gave her a smile. "I trust you will."

**~.~.~**

The Cullen kids had agreed to play a game that Emmett had bought after Nessie had her dinner, it was Cards Against Humanity. Only this time they made sure to move any and all valuables from anywhere near Emmett. They hadn't been able to convince Ava to join in, she claimed that she would just watch. She quickly caught on to the family dynamic. Emmett, Alice, and Edward would bicker over whoever was cheating. Rosalie would scold Emmett relentlessly, and Jasper, Bella, and Nessie just sat back enjoying the free entertainment.

Wanting to clear her head, Ava excused herself from the family game night. Taking out her phone from out of her pocket, she slowly closed the door from the dining room that leads them to their garden. She took in her surroundings, it was breathtaking. It was a large open area, with an archway with red roses and fairy lights leading to a marble fountain in the middle. Fingering the roses, she noticed that they were fresh and nicely maintained. On either side of the garden there was flower beds, all separated by the types of flowers and color. There were fairy lights wrapped around the trees and swung across overhead. On one of the biggest trees, there was a bench on one side and a swing made out of wood dangling from the tree. It seemed like something straight from a fairy tale. Ava just found her new spot. She could hear the river from here, and if she brought out a good book or something to draw with, she could get lost out there forever.

Esme walked out barefoot as she liked the feel of the grass on her feet, and how refreshing it felt on a spring night. She slowly walked out to her, as she sat gently on the swing. "Did you tend to all of this?" Ava asked, smelling her scent, still looking up mesmerized by the fairy lights. She recognized her scent by now, it was of freesias with vanilla and a hint of roses. It was the sweetest scent she's ever smelt.

Esme nodded bending down to check on of her flower beds and straightening herself out after making sure they were perfect. "Yeah, I did. You know, as a stay at home mom I have so much free time." She looked over to Ava who was now looking at her with intrigued eyes.

"Grandma Margaret told me you wanted to be a school teacher?" Ava said softly, not trying to bring back any bad memories that she might have.

"I was a school teacher for a while. While I was pregnant." She paused taking a seat on the grass by Ava's feet. "After Carlisle changed me and I was able to reunite with society once more, I went to school and studied architect and art for a while. I like to go back here and there to see if there's anything new." Esme said looking up at her.

Ava looked ahead, the house's lights were on, and she could see Esme's family cheering for someone around the table. "Your garden is something out of a fairy tale." Ava said getting off the swing and going to sit next to Esme, sitting down Indian style.

Laughing Esme scooted a little closer to her daughter. "I guess so, it has a very romantic feeling to it, as Renesmee once told me when we first moved here." Esme said paying attention to the fountain. "A safe space." Esme whispered.

"Do you, do you still remember him?" Ava asked in a low voice, hesitant at first, but she wanted to know.

Esme took in a sharp breath and held it in for what seemed like five minutes before letting it out in a shaky breath. "I still remember him. I wish I hadn't. However, I don't think of him at all, once in a while a memory comes in." Looking at Ava, she saw that she was staring straight ahead with a blank look in her eyes. "I left him because I didn't want him to be anywhere my baby but look how that turned out." She scoffed, sacrificing everything, enduring all those nights of pain and sorrow for him to still lay hands on one of her babies.

"I was living with Grandma Margaret for about five years." Ava said still looking ahead, as if she could see everything play out in front of her eyes. "I was in kindergarten when he showed up into my life. He would come and visit, he sold it so well." Ava scoffed before continuing. "He then got custody of me, and once I got a little older, that's when he was the man you knew. I didn't have a childhood. All I wanted was a family." Ava sighed, stretching her legs in front of her.

"He re-married soon after I left, you know. She was beautiful, the last I checked he had two kids. A boy and a girl. I crashed his funeral in 1963, they claimed he was this amazing man. His kids had kids, with them at the time. I'm happy for that family, though they had they're happily ever after." Ava said through gritted teeth, angry at the fact that she didn't have her happy ending.

Esme listened and let her rant, although her heart was breaking for her daughter. Esme had her happy ending, but where was Ava's?

"The night I turned eighteen, I was going to run away with my friend. He was amazing. He brought me food when there was none, and we would talk about our future together. He promised that I was going to be happy. That I never had to be alone again. Yet, look at me. I was alone for almost all my life." Ava said in a shaky voice, recounting whatever she could from her past life.

Esme hugged her daughter, her heart breaking even more. There was something about watching _your_ child so broken. She wished she could somehow take her pain away. Ava slowly curled onto her lap, taking in the comfort that her mother was giving her. She watched in movies how the girls would cry into their mothers' laps, and the mother would stroke their hair lovingly as they cried in secret.

"I'm sorry for everything, Ava. I really am. You don't know how much I wish I could erase your pain. I wish for you to feel at peace. For you to feel safe." Esme crooned, rocking them back and forth as she caressed her hair, as she felt her body shake with dry sobs racking her body. "I'm here. We're here. All that matters right now is, that we're together. You have a family now, darling." Esme comforted her, and hugged her closer, feeling the pain she was feeling.

"I feel like, I've had this big empty hole in my chest for most of my life." Ava sobbed out hugging Esme's leg, she felt like a child. "I-I just wanted to be happy. I wanted my mother, damn it! I wanted a father who loved me!" She cried out harder this time, with so much pain and passion. Her eyes were glazed over, wishing she could cry. She needed to let tears flow freely down her cheeks. These words stung Esme. All these years and she didn't know about her daughter, if only she knew she would've taken her out of her misery.

"I'm sorry, baby. Momma's here. Hold on to me. Momma's here." She whispered placing a kiss on her head, holding in sobs that were threatening to escape her body. She wished she would have known sooner, raised her and loved her all the same. Perhaps turned her when she wished, if she wished.

They sat there holding each other, for the rest of the night it seemed.

**~.~.~**

"I love sunrises." Ava whispered unmoving from Esme's lap. None of them have moved from their spot. Edward had come out around twelve to bring them a blanket. He wrapped it around them and kissing his mother on the head and caressed his new sisters' hair.

"Sunrises and sunsets are my favorite time of day." Esme said, looking up at the sky.

"There you are." They heard a voice call. Ava too unfazed to even look up, she continued to look at the sky from Esme's lap, playing with the hem of the blanket that was wrapped around them. Esme slowly looked over in the direction that the voice was coming from.

Carlisle was standing at the end of the rose arches, his hands in his pockets, now wearing a polo shirt. His hear a little messy. "She looks like she's sleeping." Carlisle whispered walking towards them, his eyes set on the pair in front of him. Esme had Ava on her lap, caressing her hair while Ava was hugging her legs and clutching the end of the blanket.

"I can hear you, McDreamy." Ava muttered, not taking her eyes off of the sky.

"McDreamy?" Carlisle asked, amused.

Ava rolled on Esme's lap and smiled at him. "Grey's Anatomy? The hottest doctor at Seattle Grace was Derek Shepard. I'm sure at Hartford every woman swoon over you. Therefore, you are Hartford's McDreamy." Ava giggled, as she laughed.

"I'm so glad to hear you laugh." Esme breathed out and kissed her head.

Carlisle laughed as well and sat next to them. "So, I'm McDreamy, huh?" Carlisle said teasing Esme.

"Oh, hush, Carlisle." Esme giggled and gently pushed his shoulder playfully.

Ava looked over at Carlisle, pursed her lips and resettled in her previous position as well. "No, McDreamy dies. You're not McDreamy." Ava laughed and shook her head.

"Well here I thought I was going to be McDreamy at the hospital." He said pouting playfully. "I'll be McSteamy then."

"You're freezing cold, Carlisle." Ava slowly got off from Esme's lap and Esme whimpered, loving the feeling of having her daughter lay on her lap. "You can be McDreamy after all. I'll page the hospital with your new nickname." She said pulling her hair out of her ponytail. "I need to shower. I'll see you guys." Ava said walking away from the garden and towards the house.

"Bye." They both called as they watched her walk towards the house, with her head bent down. Before she walked in, she took of her shoes and carried them inside. Little did she know, Esme required all of them to take their shoes off when they came in from the garden.

Carlisle laughed and hugged Esme rubbing her arm. He could feel her less tense, as she relaxed onto his shoulder. "Edward told me you'd be out here." He said, wrapping the blanket over themselves, and pulled his wife onto his lap.

"We were out here all night. She told me some of her past life, Carlisle. It was the most heart wrenching thing I've experienced. My heart hurts so much." Esme sighed resting her head on the crook of his neck, taking in his scent.

Carlisle hugged his wife closer to his body and buried his head in her hair. "My love, everything is going to be fine." He looked up at the sky, it looked like cotton candy, Esme's favorite type of sunrise. "She took a big step on opening up a little bit."

Esme sighed and looked up at her husband, concerned. "She said she wanted a family." Esme murmured, holding onto the collar of his polo. "A mother and a father." She whispered, looking up at him with sad eyes.

Carlisle kissed her forehead and cupped her cheek lovingly. "She'll have that, if she chooses to stay."

"Carlisle," Esme licked her lips and sat up now, moving to sit in front of Carlisle. "I want her to stay. I won't pressure her, but I need her in my life. I just got her back. We need to prove to her that she can have a family, that this is her family." Esme grabbed his hands, holding them in his arms. "Love her like you loved all of our children." She whispered, leaning in closer to her husband.

They stared at each other, not breaking eye contact for a while. "_Tesoro_, I already do. I just need to know her, get to know her my love." He said, giving her a small smile. "Just like you love her, you're still getting to know her. We can take her out." Carlisle said raising an eyebrow as he got an idea. "We can make it a family outing."

"That sounds lovely." Esme grinned and rubbed her nose against Carlisle's nose, her smile not disappearing one bit. She was worried that Carlisle wouldn't feel the same way she did about Ava.

Carlisle smiled and kissed her nose, causing her to giggle and threw her arms around his neck. "Let's go roller blading, like back in the 70's." He chuckled as she wrinkled her nose.

"I wasn't fond of the 70's, darling." She laughed, remembering the crazy outfits they would wear. "It's 70's night at the roller rink isn't it?" She asked as she saw the face that he made, and his nod confirmed it.

"I heard some kids talking about it today."

"Roller skating it is." Esme laughed and got up, taking the blanket with her.

**Ava opened up to Esme a bit! Yay! Next chapter is going to be fun to write, so hopefully I can get it out asap. So glad I'm on Spring Break so I can work on this nicely after work. **


	5. Fever Night

**Thank you all so so much for the love you guys have given this story so far! I'm truly amazed and thankful for all of you!**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight**

The house was quiet all day, sans the music coming from the record player that was once unused. It was Ava's new favorite thing. The Sunflower record by the Beach Boys on repeat with her occasionally switching it out for another record that she deemed okay. Her time with Esme last night was what she needed the most. It was something she yearned for. To let it out and she was glad that it was to Esme. She didn't know her all that well just yet, but she just felt so at ease with her. It was as if she was living with her, her whole life.

Putting the book, she was reading back on the shelf, she heard the Cullen kids' cars pulling up the driveway and the doors opening, and slamming shut. The door banged open downstairs and she heard footsteps coming in hurriedly.

"Carlisle?! Esme?!" A shrill went through the house, it was Alice's voice that she recognized. She rolled her eyes with a small smile, that girl loved her theatrics. "You have some answering to do!" Alice called again, as she heard her walking into her and Jasper's room, whose was only a few doors down from hers. 

Curiosity getting the best of her, she stepped out of her room and walked down the stairs to find all the Cullen kids in the living room, with Edward on the piano bench, Bella and Nessie were actually in the kitchen, as Nessie ate the leftover food from last night, Rosalie and Emmett were sitting on the love seat, and Alice and Jasper were sitting on the couch, with Alice's legs resting on Jaspers thighs.

"Hi, Ava." Bella called from the kitchen and Nessie waved with a big smile on her face.

"Hey, Bella, Nessie." Ava smiled and offered a small wave, before turning to the rest of the family.

"You disappeared on us last night, everything okay?" Rosalie asked as Ava sat down on the other love seat across from her. She didn't need Jasper's powers to see how tense she was. She knew and felt how uneasy the girl was. Being in a house filled with strangers for two-days.

Ava nodded and gave her a smile. "Yeah I'm fine. Just getting used to this, I guess." She shrugged and looked to see what the boys were watching. They were watching a baseball game on the flat screen. It was crazy how this family of vampires seemed so normal.

Esme and Carlisle walked into the family room, with both of them holding on to each other's hands. "Hello, Alice you wanted to talk?" Carlisle asked, as he stood behind Esme, as she sat on the arm of the sofa.

Alice looked up from her phone and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I do, dad." Alice chirped, getting and standing in front of the rest of the family. "I had an interesting vision; would you care to explain?" Alice asked, suppressing her excitement, lightly bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Ava raised her eyebrows in amusement, the pixie like vampire in front of her seemed to have so much energy in her, that it seemed to be balled up in her small body.

Edward let out a laugh as he heard what she had said. "Oh, and such a tiny person can be so annoying, trust me Ava." Edward laughed, while looking at his sister as Alice glared at him.

Carlisle stood up standing next to Alice and cleared his throat, while placing a hand on her shoulder. "Well, Esme and I were thinking that we haven't had a family outing in a while." Carlisle said explaining to his family. The Cullen kids looked at the patriarch with a confused look, sans Edward and Alice. "We're having a family outing tonight, if you guys are up for it." Carlisle elaborated to the family.

"However, I beg of you guys to behave." Esme said sternly, pointedly to Emmett. Ava caught on and turned to look at Emmett.

"What happened? Why are you guys looking at Emmett?" Ava asked, her face full of confusion, her brows furrowed as she tried to hide a smile.

Bella came into the living room with Nessie as they sat down on the open space on the couch. "We went to a fair four years ago; it was the last time we went out as a family. Anyway, Emmett over here decided to go in the bounce house with Nessie and he popped it quite easily." Bella sighed as Emmett stammered, trying to cut in to tell his story.

Ava looked amused as she could picture a big muscular teenager go in a bounce house with a younger looking Renesmee. "Wow, Emmett. You're a big child." Ava teased with a giggle.

"Someone has to have fun; everyone here seems to have sticks up their a—" he didn't get to finish before Alice cut in.

"We're going roller skating!" Alice clapped excitedly, looking around the family. She got a few groans from Jasper, Edward, and Rosalie. "It was Carlisle's idea." Alice put her hands up in surrender, while taking a seat.

"We couldn't have gone hunting or something?" Edward asked, running a hand through his hair, messing it up quite a bit.

Carlisle sighed and shook his head. "We always go hunting, it'd be nice to feel human again." He said with a shrug. "Like I said, you guys don't have to go."

Ava liked the idea, as she has never been, and she thought the idea of roller skating was fun. "I think it sounds fun." Ava defended, and secretly feeling excited of the fact of going out with a family, even if she wasn't part of the family yet. Being confined in the house has made her go stir crazy, with her only interactions being with the Cullen family.

Esme smiled at Ava and stood up. "Whoever wants to go, we're leaving at seven. Oh, it's 70's night." Esme smirked, as she heard groans from all of her kids except for Alice.

**~.~.~**

It was a quarter until seven and Ava was just about ready, as she slipped on her shoes, she saw Nessie stop by the door and look into her room. "Auntie Alice is going to freak when she sees what you're wearing." Nessie giggled as she leaned on the door frame.

Ava frowned and looked at herself, she thought she looked fine. She was just wearing a regular black t-shirt and some ripped jeans. "We're just going roller skating." She shrugged as she tied her shoes.

Nessie walked in and immediately went into the closet that was in the room and opened it to look for something else. Ava looked inside and saw that someone had to have stocked it for her sometime while she was out of the room. Looking at what Nessie was wearing, she saw that she was wearing a flowy baby blue off the shoulder spring dress with flats that had ribbon tied around her ankles. After rummaging through her closet, Nessie pulled out a white floral off the shoulder romper with bell sleeves. "Here, wear this. These white slip-ons would look nice with the romper."

"Thank you, Nessie."

"Don't mention it, Aunt Alice is kind of a psycho when it comes to fashion." Nessie giggled and sat on Ava's bed while Ava walked into the built-in restroom that was in her room to go change. "I haven't had much time to talk to you, Ava." Nessie called as she heard the fabric falling to the floor and her stepping into the romper.

Ava sighed as she zipped up the side of the romper and put on the shoes that Ava had picked out. "I haven't had much time to talk to most of your family." Ava said opening the door and saw Nessie smile in approval.

"They're your family too, now." Nessie said slowly, not wanting to over step any boundaries.

Ava sighed and sat next to Nessie. "Have you ever felt out of place?" she looked at the younger in front of her. She was the perfect combination of both Bella and Edward.

The younger girl nodded and kicked her feet gently. "Yeah, all the time. I'm one of the very few of my kind, and the rest that we know of live in Brazil. So, it's easy to feel out of place." Nessie looked into Ava's eyes, seeing sadness in her red eyes, that had a small tinge of orange right around the pupil.

"I guess, I've been alone so long that I don't know what it's like to belong, you know?" Ava stated as she offered Nessie a small smile.

"You know, Mamma Esme looks so much happier now. She's always been a happy person, but ever since you came into our lives, I swear Ava she's never looked happier." Nessie said pleadingly, as if somehow that would convince her.

Ava still looked unconvinced, and with a frustrated sigh, Nessie put her palm to Ava's cheek. Letting images of Esme sobbing over sketches of babies, the sad but happy face she had whenever she held her when she was smaller. One specific memory she wanted to show Ava. It was of Carlisle holding a distraught Esme shortly after Nessie was born, as she whimpered about wanting her baby or a baby with Carlisle.

Nessie took in Ava's face of shock and wander, as she's taking in everything that Nessie was showing her. Next, she showed her humming happily now, an extra bounce to her step. "See? She loves you, and so does Papa Carlisle." She murmured, taking her hand slowly away from her face. "Just give them a chance." She pleaded.

Ava was still in shock, everything seemed so vivid. "I have no doubt that Esme loves me. I love her so much, but I have my doubts of the rest of you guys." She whispered standing up as she heard most of the Cullen's going down to the garage where most of the cars were.

Nessie giggled. "You're silly, we all love you. You're like a sister to my aunts and uncles now, and I have a new aunt." Nessie said, tugging on her arm and leading her downstairs. "Tell you what, you can be my partner when we get to the roller rink, they always partner up it's annoying." Nessie said with a roll of her eyes.

As they walked down the stairs and walked to the garage, she noticed that all the Cullen's were all dressed up in a way, even if they were just going roller skating.

Alice came up to Ava and gave her a hug. "Oh, I'm so glad you dressed out of those awful clothes. Did you notice I stocked the closet for you?" Alice asked excited, already knowing Ava's reaction.

Ava nodded and smiled at her. "Yes, thank you, the clothes are lovely." She said politetly.

"You really are Esme's child." Emmett boomed from his jeep, with Rose in the passenger seat, and she heard a crack and Emmett yell out an ow.

**~.~.~**

The car was quiet for the majority, other than Nessie's heart beat and the tunes coming from the radio. "Nessie, when is Jake coming?" Carlisle asked, looking at her through his rearview mirror, as he came to a red light once they came into the city.

Nessie looked away from the window and smiled at her grandpa with a big grin. "He said in two weeks, but he said he's coming with Paul for whatever reason." She said wrinkling her nose.

"Why Paul? I imagined Seth or Leah." Esme asked, twisting in her seat to look over at her granddaughter.

Nessie shrugged before looking out the window once more. "He said something about finding this cool skydiving place out here in Connecticut." She said brushing it off.

"Jake is your friend, right? From Forks?" Ava asked intrigued how she can be friends with a werewolf. Just the thought of being near one makes her stomach churn.

With a grin, she nodded. "Yeah, he is, he's the sweetest! At least to me and Momma he is." Nessie giggled, as he only really tolerated the rest of her family because of her.

Carlisle pulled into the roller rink, and parked in the back, where he saw Edward's Volvo already parked and spotted Bella and Edward already waiting for them. Soon the Cullen Clan were outside the building.

"Ready to put on your boogie shoes?" Emmett said stepping out of the Jeep doing the disco finger move.

Ava laughed and rolled her eyes. "You're such a clown." Ava snorted, as they walked into the building.

Emmett threw his arm around her shoulders as they walked through the sliding doors, and they immediately got the smell of pizza, cheap beer, and the disco lights. "You have to loosen up, little sister!" He said as he pulled her along with him.

"You're not that much older than me, _big brother._" She teased with a laugh as he ruffled her hair.

Esme swore her heart fluttered when she heard her call him big brother and looked at Carlisle with an excited look. He responded by kissing her forehead, with a smile of his own. He was secretly hoping that she would come around to the family. He didn't want her to leave at all, he felt this strong affection towards her already. He already did love her so much, as if she was his own.

They paid their entrance fees and for their shoes, as soon as they did so, Ava noticed that they had partnered up, just like Nessie said. Ava was lacing up the skates on her feet when she saw Nessie skating her way with a grin. "Told you they'd partner up." Nessie said with a smirk, as she glanced over her shoulder. Alice and Jasper were already in the rink, as they moved gracefully, as Jasper anticipated her every move. Emmett and Rosalie were lounging for a while, watching Edward teach Bella how to stop on the skates, with Carlisle and Esme were cruising around the rink laughing at something.

"Ready?" Nessie asked patiently, as she saw Ava tie her shoes, and offered her hand. Ava gladly took it as they entered the rink.

Ava seemed more hesitant, as she didn't really know how to skate. "Don't worry, Ava. We'll both fall. It's my first time too." She said offering her a tight squeeze of the hand as they strolled around the rink.

As soon as they got the hang of using the skates, both Nessie and Ava were going a bit faster, laughing as they sometimes almost clashed into another family member.

"How was it in the seventies?" Nessie asked as they heard _I Will Survive_ come on, and they saw Carlisle and Esme grooving to the song, with big smiles on their face and Emmett twirled Rosalie around the rink.

Ava sighed as she skated backwards, facing Nessie. "It was alright, it was fun I suppose. The humans had more fun it seemed, as they took all sorts of drugs. It was quite funny, actually." Ava giggled at the memory of one of the girls she befriended for a while get paranoid when she tried weed for the first time.

"I wonder what the future will hold." Nessie pondered, as she took Ava's hand and twirled her as well, both girls smiling.

Ava shrugged as they came to skate beside Emmett and Rosalie. "Having fun, Zellie?" Emmett teased, while holding Rosalie's hand.

Ava rolled her eyes. "Why yes, Bowser I am." She said with a scoff as she saw the face of shock on his face. "What, you think I wouldn't give you a nickname myself?" Ava put a hand over her heart, feigning shock and disappointment.

Rosalie laughed as Emmett was at loss of words. "She's a sassy one, I like it." Rosalie winked at Ava which earned her a laugh.

"We're dueling, Ava!" He called after her, Ava and Nessie skated away.

On the other side of the rink, Esme and Carlisle were watching them interact with each other, as they were slowly cruising to _Night Fever_, holding hands. "Oh Carlisle, this is the most I've seen her interact with the other kids." Esme squealed as she pulled Carlisle along, skating backwards.

"She just needed to interact with them more, my love." He said, spinning her by the waist, and caused her to throw her laugh in laughter. Turning his head, he saw Edward twirling both Nessie and Ava along to the beat of the song, both girls looked so happy.

Esme nodded and wrapped an arm around his waist as they span in unison, like in the Saturday Night Fever movie with John Travolta. "Thank you." Esme leaned up and kissed Carlisle in the cheek.

"It was no problem, mi amore." He whispered as they both admired the fun their kids were having.

**~.~.~**

In nearly a century, this was the most fun Ava has had. She was taking turns skating and dancing along with all the Cullen kids. Ava skated up to Alice and Jasper who were doing the bump, both of them going into hysterics, as they were just letting loose.

"Hey guys." Ava said as she skated next to Alice who greeted her with a side hug.

"Hi, Ava!" Alice sang. "Are you having fun?" She asked, genuinely interested.

Nodding Ava looked at jasper and gave him a teasing smile. "You don't have anything to do with this correct?" She asked laughing as he feigned shock.

"I would never, darlin." He defended himself, his southern drawl becoming very prominent.

"I know." Ava smiled and waved bye as she made her way towards Carlisle and Esme.

Maybe, just maybe, she could get used to being around the Cullen's. Everyone was so nice to her, they genuinely seemed to like her. She had so much fun teasing Emmett and scolding him along with Rosalie. There was no way to feel sad around Alice, as her energy and vibes was infectious, it could be Jasper manipulating her feelings, but she didn't mind. Then there was Edward and Bella, they were the calmer ones out of the group, however, they still liked to have fun and she felt good being around them.

Nessie soon became her best friend, however. They bonded over the fact that they more times than not, they felt out of place sometimes. Ava for not having a family for a long time, and Nessie for not being able to fit in into the two worlds of the vampires and the humans.

Ava made her way to Esme and Carlisle as they were dancing along to ABBA's Dancing Queen, both of them truly having the time of their lives. "Hi, Ava." Esme breathed out in between her fits of giggles as Carlisle spun them around and doing the most popular disco moves.

"Hope I'm not interrupting." Ava said sheepishly.

"Oh, of course not! We were just about to go up to you and check up on you." Carlisle reassured her with a smile.

He gave her the kindest smiles, that she felt safe whenever he did so. "I'm having fun, thank you." Ava said softly, with her lips quirking upwards into a smile.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a girl, aged fifteen fall and skid across the floor. She seemed to have scraped her knees hard enough to have small amounts of blood ooze out of her. The smell of fresh blood infiltrated the air, and Ava couldn't help but freeze where she was. Getting the strange urge to inhale deeply and savor the smell of the sweet honey like blood go through her nose. There was a strong burning sensation in her throat, and soon her eyes went pitch black.

She needed that blood. Before she could do anything, she felt a hard body crash into her that dropped her to the ground, soon arms picked her up from the floor, restraining her arms as they carried her out of the building. She couldn't help but feel the burning get stronger, it felt like a blazing hot iron rod going down her throat, as if someone kept heating it up the deeper it went through her throat. A growl escaped her body, as she tried to thrash and get rid of the body that was restraining her.

She felt someone's hands push her head towards their chest. "Don't breathe. Don't breathe. Hold your breath, sweetheart." The male voice whispered as she felt the cold air hit her face as he hurried to Esme's car. She felt someone take off her skates as she was thrown in the backseat and restrained down as someone turned on the car. She let out a groan as the pinned her to the seat.

"Let me go!" she growled, trying to kick her restrainer away from her. She couldn't see anything, as her bloodlust was too strong. She could've sworn she heard someone whimper in the background, it must have been the person driving the car.

"We're almost gone, sweetie." The same voice said softly, as he held her feet together and her wrists as she thrashed in the backseat.

The car came to a halt as they slammed on the breaks, and soon enough, she was carried away into the night, still thrashing around. She heard the crunching of the leaves and branches being pushed away. All she could do was groan and moan in agony. The fire in her throat intensifying.

"Breathe in now, cherí." The male whispered, as she hadn't noticed that she actually was holding in her breath. She could smell the forest now, a couple of deer up a head. She heard someone wrestling an animal before they dragged it towards her. "Drink it, cariño." The voice muttered in her ear as she felt someone bring a freshly killed deer up to her lips. "Please, and it'll be over soon, I promise." The voice pleaded as she thrusted against his body.

Ava felt the neck being brought up to her lips again, and this time she sunk her teeth in. The warm blood flowing into her mouth and down her throat, slowly putting out the fire in her throat. "More." She croaked, as the fire in her throat still plagued her. Soon after another deer appeared up to her lips. The arms that held her down seemed to loosen up on her when she grabbed onto the deer, not letting a single drop left in the body.

"Carlisle?" She heard a worried female voice call from in front of her.

"She's fine, Ma beauté." He answered as he loosened her grip on her as he felt her body slump against his, as small sobs escaped her body.

"I'm sorry." Ava sobbed, hiding her face in his chest, as she came back to her senses. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to." She whimpered.

She felt him hug her closer to his body, stroking her hair. "Sh, it's okay. You did fine, sweetheart. I'm here." He reassured her.

Esme was kneeling in front of them, her heart broken. She remembered when this was her, overtaken by the bloodlust. "Momma's here, baby." Esme whispered as she held onto them both. "Momma's here." She whispered against her hair as she gently kissed her head.

"Hold me, mom." Ava croaked, wanting to feel her love and warmth.

Esme and Carlisle shared a look of happiness and pure love as this was the first time, she's called her mom. "Of course, baby." Esme's voice cracked a little bit, as she wrapped her arms around Ava's slender frame, and Carlisle wrapped his arms around both of them.

"I'm here."

**First half was fun to write, as I listened to disco music throughout the writing process. I like her slowly interacting with the family. **

**Will Paul be an important character? Also, I felt like the ending of this chapter was a pivotal moment for all three of them. Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	6. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

* * *

**~.~.~**

Two weeks have passed since Ava's near slip up, and she's been beating herself for it. She's ditched Esme and Carlisle when it came to hunt. She would go alone and take down a couple of deer's, and a bear if she was lucky enough to come across one. After one of her hunts, she trudged into Esme's garden as the sun was rising in front of her. Plopping down on the grass she sighed and pulled off her boots and wriggled her toes. The house was quiet, it seemed as if it was empty. She was embarrassed since that night they went roller skating. She was embarrassed of the fact that Emmett had to tackle her down to the ground. Embarrassed that Carlisle had to physically restrain her as she tried to claw at him and Esme while they tried to get her into the car. Embarrassed that they had to feed her, as if she was a child. Embarrassed that Carlisle carried her back to the house, where everyone was waiting.

"_Hold me, mom." Ava croaked, for the first time in a while smelling her comforting scent. There was a moment where she only felt Carlisle's embrace around her. Then she felt her arms wrap around her. It was the most comforting thing she has felt._

"_I'm here." Esme whispered in Ava's ear, as she felt Carlisle's arm wrap around both of them. _

_Ava leaned into both of them, basking in every single ounce of comfort that she has ever felt. The feeling of being wanted and loved. They stayed there for over an hour, as they let her come down from her breakdown and bloodlust. "I want to go home." Ava whispered against Carlisle's chest, but she knew they both heard her. _

"_We'll go home, honey." Esme whispered and hesitated before she let her go and stood up, reaching her hands for Ava. _

"_Love, I think it's best I carry her back to the house." Carlisle whispered, slowly easing themselves off the ground. He saw how distraught she was, he looked at her with concerned eyes almost pleading, Esme nodded in response. "Ava, sweetie, hold on if you want." He crooned and felt as she wrapped her arms around his neck. _

_Esme let them lead the way back home, momentarily cherishing the sight before her. The love of her life being so gentle and caring to her daughter. It was the most beautiful thing she has seen, and it was a sight that could bring tears to her eyes. _

_Once in the house, the whole family was in the living room as they watched Carlisle carry a limp-like body up the stairs, and Esme following right behind them. Esme opened the door to Ava's room for Carlisle and waited for them to enter. _

"_I feel gross." Ava groaned, lifting her head from Carlisle's shoulder, before he sat her down on her bed. _

"_Would you like to take a bath, sweetie?" Esme whispered, as she stroked her hair. There was something about Esme's touch that made Ava feel all the better, as if what she had done didn't really happen. Ava nodded and felt herself being handed off to other arms. The other arms had a certain type of love she always imagined being the best type of love. _

_The water was running, a liquid being poured into the tub as it was being filled with water. In the eyes of outsiders, it would look odd having a woman cradle a grown teenager like a baby, as she gently peppered her head with kisses. "I'll step out." Carlisle whispered and pressed his lips to her forehead. _

_Closing the door behind her, Esme sat Ava on the edge of the tub, while she took of her socks. "I can undress myself." Ava whispered taking slipping her arms out of the sleeves from her romper and sliding the fabric down her legs. Ridding herself from every piece of clothing, Esme prepared to leave the room as Ava slid into the scalding hot water in the tub, which hissed when she slid in. "Don't leave." She begged, and Esme turned around and took a seat on the toilet next to the tub. _

"_Never, baby." She breathed out and sat there as she watched slide deeper into the tub, until the water nearly covered her eyes. _

_They sat there for what seemed to be an hour, as Ava soaked in the tub for half the time, and then cleaning herself off letting the scent of the bubble bath, body wash, and shampoo swirl and mix in the air, as she tried to forget the last three hours. When Ava was finally ready to get out, Esme was waiting for her with a fluffy towel. Though not much was spoken between the two, they both enjoyed this. Esme taking care of her daughter, and Ava letting her. After she got dressed, she climbed onto the bed and sat in the center of the bed as Esme brushed through her hair. _

"_Thank you for taking care of me." Ava whispered, as Esme gently brushed her wet hair, letting her fingers go through her hair. _

"_There's nothing to thank, honey." Esme smiled and kissed the top of her head, and got ready to get off the bed, when she felt Ava's hand on hers. _

"_Please, don't leave." Esme melted at the look that Ava gave her. There was something that had her wrapped around her fingers already. _

"_I won't." Esme whispered and hugged her as she felt Ava lean into her. _

"_Do you think Carlisle can come back?" Ava said loud enough, hoping he would hear her requests. Sure enough, not even a breath later there was light knock on her door before it opened to show Carlisle behind it. She smiled weakly at the sight of the blonde in front of her. "Can you guys hold me?" Ava whispered as she felt the mattress shift with the extra weight. _

"_Of course." Carlisle accepted her request and wrapped his arms around both of them, quite much like when they were in the forest earlier. _

"_Thank you." Ava whispered, relishing in the comfort that they both brought her._

Ava sighed and lied down, staring at the cotton candy sky above her. She heard footsteps coming towards her as she watched the sky above her. Perhaps, she wasn't fit for this lifestyle. The Cullen's were good people. They didn't kill humans, and she admired the fact that they preserved human life. Carlisle was a doctor, a doctor that was a vampire. Yet, she couldn't control her desire when she was present fresh blood.

"You know when I changed Edward, it took him a while to adjust. He rebelled a couple of years after Esme and I married. Esme, also had trouble when she was turned." Carlisle said as he stood over her looking up at the sky that she was admiring.

"Okay but I'm not a new born, Carlisle." Ava sighed, her eyes closed, not wanting to look him in the eyes.

"Jasper and Alice joined our family later in their life. Although, Jasper did have time and trouble adjusting to this new way of life. You can do it, too." He sat down next to Ava; this was his time to really talk to her.

Ava sighed and sat up, shaking whatever leaves and grass was in her hair. "I know you must feel alone when it's just you and Esme. Or even you when leaves to visit me at the hospital." Carlisle continued as her head was bent low avoiding eye contact.

"Where are you going with this?" Ava finally looked up at him, his eyes were a rich golden color, his hair was not combed the way it usually is, he was wearing jeans and a polo shirt. She's never seen him look so comfortable.

Carlisle chuckled and shook his head. "Where I am going with this, is that it doesn't matter if you were just turned or have been on this earth for a millennium; you can change if you truly want to do so."

Ava looked at him and noticed a crucifix hanging around his neck. "Is that," she gestured to the crucifix around his neck, "the reason why you don't hunt humans?" She looked intrigued. Her Grandma Margaret would go to Sunday mass every morning and stayed a little after to pray for her once presumed dead mother. It was one of her human memories that she remembered easily.

Carlisle looked down and grabbed the necklace that was hanging out of his shirt. "Partly, yes. I didn't like what I had become when I was first turned, Ava. My father was a pastor and he took it upon himself to rid the world of vampires, unsuccessfully I may add. However, I tried different ways of killing myself when I found out what I have become. I tried to starve myself to death, but when the thirst became unbearable, I attacked a heard of deer, and that's when I found I could live off of animals and not humans."

"That doesn't explain the cross."

"My father being a pastor, I grew up with his same ideals, and well, my beliefs have carried through to present day. You know, I go to mass on Sunday mornings, if I can." Carlisle explained, bringing his knees up to his chest, and wrapping his arms around them.

Ava couldn't help but laugh at the thought of a vampire setting foot in a church. "You go to church?" Ava stifled a laugh mimicking Carlisle's moves, bringing her knees up to her chest.

"Yeah, sometimes Esme goes with me too." He chuckled and felt happier, seeing her actually smile and laugh for the first time in weeks.

"Do you think I'd be able to change my diet?" Ava asked, in a small whisper and hung her head slightly, feeling ashamed.

Carlisle smiled and reached into his pocket. "I believe you can. I had this little tube of blood with me this whole time, and you didn't even flinch." He said taking out a test tube filled halfway with human blood. "I snatched some blood from the hospital during my last shift, to see if I can help you overcome your need for human blood." He explained, lightly swishing the blood in the tube in front of her.

Ava's eyes were wide, shocked that there was fresh blood under her nose this whole time. "With the right mindset, you can achieve just about anything." She heard him chuckle, while she scoffed.

"You sound like a motivational speaker, Carlisle." Ava said, staring at the blood in front of her, a small pool of venom pooling in her mouth at just the thought of human blood being present, even if it was just a simple drop.

Carlisle laughed and put the tube back in his pocket. "You've been so hard on yourself Ava, over something that you didn't do."

Ava took in a deep breath and held in it for a while. "I almost attacked the girl, Carlisle." She whimpered recalling that night. "I prided myself in only drinking from people who I knew were bad people. I wasn't even thirsty." She chastised herself.

"If you wanted to attack her, you would've attacked her. Seeing as you previously drank human blood, you were that much stronger than I." Carlisle quipped, seeing her once sad eyes become bright with excitement and pride.

Her happiness faltered, as she recalled her clawing at Carlisle. "I'm sorry, Carlisle. Thank you for stopping me from doing something stupid. For restraining me." Ava stated quietly.

Carlisle nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, with a smile of affection. "There's no need to thank me, Ava. You're part of this family now." He affirmed and watched as her lips quirked up into a smile.

"Is that why you were calling me sweetheart and darling?" Ava half teased, but mostly she was curious if he truly meant to call her that because he felt some sort of affection.

"Of course, you're just as important to me as you are to Esme. And believe me, that woman would throw herself in a fire if it meant saving you." He said in a soothing tone.

Ava's smile widened as she heard the words flow from Carlisle's lips. She knew Esme's unconditional love for her, but she couldn't believe that Carlisle felt something similar if not just the same. If anything, she wanted Carlisle to love her like he did his other children. Without a second thought, Ava wrapped her arms around Carlisle's waist.

Momentarily, Carlisle was taken aback but he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. "You're part of this family now, darling." He reiterated rubbing her shoulders.

"Can I be transparent with you, Carlisle?" Ava wondered, worried if what she was about to say was going to scare him.

"Go ahead, Ava." He nodded, as calmly as he could.

Ava sighed and let go of her hold on Carlisle, before scooting over to face her mom's husband, the one who has accepted ever single member of the Cullen coven with open arms; making them a family. A family she knew she always wanted. "It might come off strong, but you're what I've envisioned what a caring father would be. You made sure I didn't murder that poor girl," Ava bit her lip before she continued. "you took me in the blink of the eye." Ava explained, studying his face for any emotion. "It makes me feel good that I'm accepted not only by my mom, but by you."

Carlisle smiled and reached for her hand and holding it. "Ava, I've always felt this connection to you. Perhaps because you are part of Esme or perhaps because you were meant to be in this family, but there is no doubt that we wouldn't have taken you in." He stressed to the young girl in front of him, when he looked at her, he saw a sixteen-year-old Esme. He couldn't fathom the thought of her suffering without a mother, a father, and a family. "If you let me, I'd be more than happy to be the father that you've always wanted." He offered.

If Ava could cry, her face would be red and wet from the tears that would be flowing down her face. Ava choked out a sob and forced a smile through her sobs. Ava hugged him and felt him hug her back. "Thank you." Ava whimpered as she let out a laugh.

"Now, we're taking our family portrait next month, and we hope you would like to be a part of it." Carlisle said breaking the hug and tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"I'd love to."

**~.~.~**

Carlisle had left for his shift at the hospital soon after his conversation with Ava. Ava wondered into the family room after a walk through the forest and saw Esme come in with hands loaded with groceries, double the amount she's ever seen in the house. Emmett followed in with more food and a bag of toiletries. Rosalie soon came in with her hands full of candles and started placing them generously around the house.

"What's going on?" Ava asked, her shoes still on one hand, her eyebrows raised as she saw Esme quickly load the fridge and pantries.

"The dogs are coming." Rosalie hissed, as she sniffed one of the candles before placing it on the coffee table.

Ava walked into the kitchen and peeked inside one of the many bags that Esme and Emmett had carried in. "This bag has just bacon." Ava said more unsure and even more confused.

Esme walked in with more bags and kissed her head before opening the fridge once more and adding the back on the bottom shelf, while Emmett stocked it with some beers and waters. "We bought enough to run a restaurant." Emmett handed Esme a bag of tomatoes and potatoes as she moved things around.

"That doesn't explain the candles that Rose is putting in every crook and cranny in the house."

Alice walked in from the laundry room carrying a basket with a couple of blankets. "They stink. Literally, they reek of wet dog." Alice rolled her eyes and set the basket on the dining room table as she folded the blankets in the basket. "You've never met a werewolf before?" Alice said amused of the look of utter confusion of Ava's face.

Ava shook her head and sat down grabbing another blanket and helped Alice fold the fabrics. "I have not, I'm sure they're not as bad." Ava defended, as to not knowing them for her to judge.

Edward walked in with a duffel bag in one of his hands as he laughed at what he just heard. "Oh Ava, you certainly have your mothers' morals." Edward ruffled her hair as he tossed the duffle bag to Jasper as he sat it behind the couch.

Before she could open her mouth to think, she caught a whiff of a pungent unpleasant smell. She wrinkled her nose and giggled as she saw Rosalie put a candle to her nose and lit every single one of them. "How long are they staying?" Ava asked, as the smell became greater.

Esme came up to her and took the blankets from her and Alice. "Jacob usually only stays for a week, maybe he'll leave earlier since he has a friend this time." Esme called from the linen closet as she put them in there gently.

"Don't let Paul or Jacob get to you." Edward cautioned, in a low voice as the front door opened. "I don't want to pry, but are you ever going to tell me about your power?" Edward questioned as Ava walked upstairs to set her shoes inside and put on a pair of sandals, Edward hot on her heels.

Rolling her eyes, Ava chucked them to the side and slid her feet in her sandals that were at the foot of her bed. "I will tell you guys, just not now." Ava hissed in annoyance.

There were loud male voices booming through the house as Edward and her descended the stairs.

"Oh, look if it isn't for Goofy and Pluto." She heard Rosalie smirk downstairs.

"Hey bimbo, nice to see you're just as nauseating as ever." She heard a male voice retort and heard someone high five someone else with a laugh.

"Jake, please. You promised." She heard Nessie plead.

Turning the corner, she saw two of muscular men standing in front of her, she raised an eyebrow as they turned to look at her with disapproving looks. One of them motioned for Edward to follow him into the kitchen, with Emmett following close behind, while the other eyed her up and down with much dismay, before walking outside.

Emmett shortly walked in with a smirk. "They think one of us bit you." Emmett laughed and shoved her shoulder.

Ava rolled her eyes and walked into the kitchen where Edward was standing there, with one of Nessie's friends, Carlisle and Esme. Nessie's friend looked at her, with a softer face now. When did Carlisle get here, she didn't know? What she did know was that neither he nor Esme looked too amused.

* * *

**Don't worry, no Paul and Ava romance here. He'll only be in the next chapter and that's it. **

**As for Ava's power, I'm not sure if I want to stick with it or give her another one. If I do stick with it, she'll have the power of being able to gift people the beauty of conception. However, have no idea how to work that in or even if I should write it in. **

**So, with that said, I'd really appreciate some input on how to work her power in if I should stick with it, because if I do, Esme and Carlisle will benefit from it. **

**Or should I go a different route with a different power. **

**Love you guys so much, I appreciate everyone so much! **


	7. Firsts, Needs, and Wants

**Okay, so I lied. There's a fling between Paul and Ava that only lasts this chapter. However, he does help her find who she really is and what she needs. It's going to be a little on the shorter side.**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

**~.~.~**

The rest of the night consisted of bickering between the two werewolves and the family of vampires. They all tried to convince both Jacob and Paul that Ava was not bitten by any of them, but by someone else.

"So, you mean to tell me, Esme's daughter got changed the night of her eighteenth birthday?" Paul scoffed, taking a big spoonful of the ice-cream they were having for dessert. Ava raised her eyebrow in amusement, as she watched two grown men shovel ice-cream in their mouth like children.

Noticing that she was spacing out she cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes, I was. By who? I don't know. I woke up in an alley by myself in 1939." She shrugged as she continued to stare at the two werewolves devouring their dessert, while Nessie took smaller bites and in a calmer manner.

They were gathered around the kitchen. Esme and Ava sitting down by the island, Rosalie and Alice sitting the furthest from the kitchen, as Alice claimed she couldn't see anything with them around. The rest were by the dining room table.

"You sure it wasn't Carlisle or Esme who did it?" Jacob butted in, leaning back on the table.

"No, because I'm pretty sure if my own mother knew of me then, I either wouldn't be a vampire, or I would've met you all those years ago." Ava said in a matter of fact tone, rolling her eyes.

"Fine whatever." Jacob grumbled slurping whatever was left on the bowl.

Soon the family left the room and did whatever they had to do, Esme and Carlisle went up to his study, while the others went into the sitting room. Ava stayed in the kitchen, as she was busy drawing the garden that was visible from the glass wall from where the dining table was in front. Jacob and Nessie were lost in their own conversation.

However, Paul was fixated on Ava, which made her quite uncomfortable and squirmed in her seat. Ava let her hair fall onto her face and rested her cheek on her hand, trying to ignore the fact that he was staring at her.

"Oh, Ava! You should come skydiving with us tomorrow!" Nessie exclaimed as she stood up taking their bowls and walking to the sink. Ava looked up and whipped around to look at Nessie.

"It's going to be sunny tomorrow." Ava replied bluntly, offering Nessie a polite smile as she saw the excitement in her face die down.

"Oh, I didn't think of that." Nessie said in a somber tone, as she loaded the bowls into the dishwasher.

"It's fine, Nessie." Ava smiled and looked back to her sketchbook and saw that Paul was still staring at her.

"Can I help you?" Ava retorted as she had finally had enough of feeling scrutinized by someone she had barely met.

Paul cleared his throat and shook his head. "No, there's just something about you." Ava raised her eyebrow and smirked looking down at her sketchbook.

Slowly closing her sketchbook, Ava gave him a polite smile. "And what may that be?" Ava said leaning forward, putting the palm of her hand on her cheek.

Jacob scoffed and stood up, beginning to walk towards the sitting room. Paul looked away for the first time since he sat down at the table. "I don't know, there's something different." He shrugged and sighed following Jacob.

**~.~.~**

It has become routine for Ava to step out into the garden at nights with her phone and a book that she would take from the bookshelf that was in her room, even a blanket if she felt like it to make her feel more human. It was something she later found out that she had in common with Esme.

Ava sat down under her favorite tree and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders scrolling through her music library to help her relax so she could focus on her book.

"Wuthering Heights?" Ava looked up to see where the voice was coming from. Ava smirked and sat up against the tree and paused her music.

"I thought you guys went to bed, you have skydiving tomorrow bright and early."

Paul sat down in front of her and chuckled before bringing his knees up to his chest. "The fall will wake me up." He laughed and looked at her the way he was looking at her inside the house earlier.

Shaking her head, she carefully placed the bookmark on her book and sat it down next to her. Cocking her head to the side, she clicked her tongue and stared at him back. "So, you came out here to keep me company?"

"No, I did not. I came because how is it that you found your mother three weeks ago, and it's as if you've been there all along?" He looked at her with an incredulous look. "Also, you're the only leech I've deemed okay looking." He gave her wink which she rolled her eyes at.

"Thank you, Paul. You're the only mutt I've ever met that I've deemed okay looking, as well." Ava snorted, pulling the blanket closer to her. She had to admit, he wasn't at all bad looking, however she wasn't feeling it. "Anyway, why are you wondering about my oh so glorious meet up with my mother and her family?" Ava asked in a more sarcastic tone, she barely knew him, and it did bother her a bit.

"The Cullen's are good people, despite being blood sucking leeches." Paul admitted. "They take in everyone like stray puppies."

"Let me cut you off there, Paul. The puppies here, are you and your pack." Ava snapped, starting to feel anger boiling up in her body.

Paul sighed and sat a little closer to her. "It's a metaphor, Ava. Do you _want_ to be part of the family? Your eyes are like a sunset, there's still red in your eyes, I know you're still getting used to their ways." Paul stated matter of fact-ly.

"I've always wanted a family." Ava was shocked. He was so blunt. She was used to having things sugarcoated for her. "The Cullen's are what I want." She retorted, glaring at him now.

"Are they what you need?" After a moment of silence, Paul said seriously.

Ava stood up, outraged. "Why do you even care, Paul?" Ava spat at him, her eyes turning a shade darker as she stood over him. He slowly stood up and towered over her small frame.

"Because I sense that you're still unsure about everything. It's only been three weeks. I've only known you for a couple of hours and you're already-"

"Already, what?" Ava spat looking up at him.

"You remind me of Jacobs sister, Rachel. That's all."

"Okay, and?" Ava asked crossing her arms over her chest, tapping her foot on the ground.

Paul sighed and looked towards the forest past the big tree she was once sitting under. "She didn't know what she needed. So, she left. Me."

Her face softened a little bit. "I'm sorry, I still don't understand." Ava whispered looking away from him and to the dark sky that was sprinkled with stars.

His face had softened as he stepped closer to Ava while she took a step back, unsure what was going to happen next. "You're a good person, I know. However, you've been alone so long that being close to people scares you. So, having a family is overwhelming to you." He shrugged giving her a lopsided smile.

Ava pursed her lips and sighed. "Growing up I didn't have a family. After I turned, I was convinced that I was this horrible person, for wanting to kill humans just to satisfy a thirst. A leech as you like to call us."

Paul chuckled and took her hands in his. "You're not a horrible person. I can see the compassion in your eyes, the love you have for the Cullen's, and even when meeting us, your natural enemies, you were welcoming." Paul whispered lowering his head.

"I guess I take after Esme." Ava shrugged, slowly freaking out as she noticed he was holding her close to him. His forehead pressing against hers now, his lips in close proximity. She felt his hot breath against her cold skin.

"Don't make me think of your mom, please?" Paul said softly, before pressing his lips to hers.

Her first kiss was a werewolf. She was ninety-eight years old, and Ava has never had a first kiss. Ava pulled away quickly, as many thoughts were rushing through her head. Was he being nice to her to get in bed with her? What could he possibly see in her, considering the fact that he just said that they were natural enemies?

"I'm sorry." Ava whispered looking away, biting her lip shyly, wanting to just run away as fast as she could.

"I meant what I said, Ava." He whispered, cupping her cheek and tilting her head to face him.

Ava looked towards the house, and saw Emmett staring out the window, his mouth agape, his face full of amusement. She knew she was never going to hear the end of it. "Follow me?" Ava coaxed him taking his hand and leading them to the forest behind the garden.

Getting as far as away as she could she stopped in a small clearing and faced him. "What are you trying to get at?" Ava sighed, still confused by the kiss he had just given her.

"Well, I'm mildly attracted by you." Paul smirked and began to turn on his heel when Ava grabbed his hand and kissed him. This time it contained a bit more passion than the last.

Beside it being her first kiss, it was her first time. She was not disappointed.

**~.~.~**

Two more weeks have passed since her rendezvous with Paul and since she last saw them as she tried to avoid the werewolves for the majority of their stay. The last time she saw him was on her way back to the main house after she went out for the morning to go hunt with Emmett and Rosalie.

They were on the porch as the front door opened with Jacob leading and Paul, Nessie, and Bella following in tow.

_Ava gave them a polite smile, as they exited the house making their way to Bella's car on their way to the airport. Jacob smiled with a nod in return, while Paul gave her a wink which caused Emmett to bust in laughter and Rosalie to gag. _

_Ava slipped off her boots and proceeded to go inside. _

"_So, are you going to Washington next?" Emmett teased, following her inside as she made her way through the house and into the laundry room where she sat her boots in a corner. _

"_Nope. Don't need to go out there. All I want and need is here." Ava scoffed and pushed past him. _

_Rosalie sighed in relief as Ava walked back out into the main room where Rosalie was lounging on the sofa that their guests had not occupied. "Oh, thank you, I don't need any more mongrels running in and out of the house." Rosalie thanked the sky above her. _

"_You serious it was just the one time?" Emmett prodded, trying to get more information out of her. _

_Ava chucked a couch cushion at Emmett hitting him square in the face. "That one night, and that's it."_

Ava was on her bed with sketch paper surrounding her, as she continued to sketch furiously as she really thought about what she wanted, and what she needed.

In the month or so that she was in the Cullen's life, she has found more about herself than she has ever in almost a century. Everyone in a way has helped her find her way through this past month.

Esme has loved her with every inch of her being, Carlisle has been nothing but caring and supportive since day one, Edward, Emmett, and Jasper have been her best guy friends; her comedic reliefs when she needed them. Rosalie has been her confidant when she needed to vent. Alice was the person to go to when she wanted to have fun and forget about what was bothering her. Bella was the person who helped her see reason. Nessie was every single one of these things.

This is what she needs, what she wants.

Running a hand through her hair, she got up from the bed and made her way to Esme's studio upstairs. Playing with her nails her way up, she was nervous. Nervous of the fact that she was perhaps sealing her fate.

Knocking on Esme's studio door, she heard a small groan come from the other side of the room, and a quick come in. Ava opened the door to find Esme fixing her hair as she sat on her stool with Carlisle in front of her on another stool. They looked so at ease. Something she noticed about Carlisle and Esme is that they matched their outfits in a way, even if it's unintentional, they always coordinated. The family they have built has a beautiful structure, the envy of many families.

"Hi, sweetie." Esme greeted her daughter with a grin on her face and kissed her forehead as she came up to them.

"Hello." Ava addressed them both, before biting her lip and walked straight to the sofa that was in front of the window, as the sun was setting behind her. "I wanted to talk to both of you guys today." Ava whispered as she looked out the window.

Esme and Carlisle sat up straighter in their seats, if it was possible. "We're here, darling." Carlisle assured her, motivating her to go on.

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and turned to look at the pair in front of her. "I know what I want. I know what I need. I need to be transparent with you guys, completely transparent. However, what I do know is that, I know where I belong."

**Not so sure how I feel about this chapter, felt like it moved at a quick pace. Not very satisfied, so it's another filler chapter mostly. **

**So, has Ava finally decided what she wants?**


	8. Possibilities

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight. **

**~.~.~**

All four eyes were on her. The room was silent, if she were to drop a pin, a human could hear it. Ava didn't know how to continue.

"That's great, that you know what you want." Esme encouraged, giving her a grin. A big part of her wished for her to want to stay. Unconsciously putting her hand to her heart, Carlisle held her other hand.

Ava nodded and patted the seat next to her. Esme slowly got off her seat and walked over to the couch that she was sitting on. "Carlisle, you too." Ava said softly offering him a small smile.

With a nod, he followed her lead. "I want to thank you both for taking me in. I have never seen so much love and so much compassion in my life." Ava started with a somber tone, as she looked between the two. "You have loved me as if you have raised me all this time. Everyone has been so welcoming. You have created an amazing family, and frankly, sometimes I believe I don't belong." She finished as she looked out the window, not wanting to see the look on Ava's face.

"Darling, you do belong." Esme nearly but sobbed as she took her daughters hands in hers.

"I know I do. I know I belong wherever you are, mom." Ava emphasized the word mom, the look on Carlisle and Esme's face made her feel more at ease. "I thought it'd be only fair to be as honest with you guys, as you guys have been with me. I'm hoping Edward has mentioned anything, but I do have a power." Ava looked at Carlisle mostly, as he shook his head with a small smile.

"He did mention something about you being stubborn and not wanting to tell him what it was." Carlisle chuckled, wrapping an arm around Esme.

"Remind me to block my thoughts around him." Ava giggled before continuing. "I have this power that I have deemed useless."

"No power is useless, Ava." Carlisle interrupted politely as Ava nodded slowly in response.

"As I was saying, I had deemed my power useless. I've only ever used it twice. The last time was when I was friends with this human girl a couple of years back, she was telling me that her and her husband have been trying to conceive for a long time. So, I helped them in the only way I could. I immediately left once I found out she was pregnant." Ava smiled to herself, as she continued to look outside the window, mesmerized by the way two squirrels chases each other up and down a tree.

Esme held on to Carlisle's hand as tight as she could, making him wince slightly. Her face was stoic, not wanting to show hope or excitement. "I checked on her a couple of times, the first time right after she gave birth, to a beautiful baby boy. He's five now and in kindergarten, and he's just as beautiful." Ava turned to face Esme and Carlisle for the first time since she began talking about her power. Her smile slowly fell from her face as she saw how serious Esme's face was, as she stared ahead.

"So, you can essentially give people the gift of conception?" Esme whispered hoarsely as she forced a smile out.

Ava nodded biting her lip, scared she might have hit a sore spot. "Yeah, I don't really need it. How can I use that to protect myself?" Ava asked, as she saw Carlisle slowly wrap an arm around Esme's shoulder.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "I have this theory that we carry on our strongest abilities to this life. Perhaps you longed for a family for so long, that you have the gift to give that to someone who needs it." Carlisle explained as he watched Ava's face with wonder, while Esme tried to hold in a whimper.

"So, I was thinking, long and hard." Ava slowly said, as she took one of Esme's hands in hers. "There are no words that I could say that would show you two how grateful I am. So, I'm not sure how safe it is on vampires, but I wanted to see if you guys would like to take advantage of my gift?" Ava asked, a sheepish smile on her face.

Esme gasped in shock, not expecting this from her. "Carlisle?" Esme asked pleadingly, as she turned to look at Carlisle with doe like eyes.

Carlisle didn't want to admit it, but he was terrified. What if the pregnancy didn't work? What if her power didn't work on their kind at all? He didn't want to lose Esme and he didn't want to get her hopes up either. "Darling, this could be dangerous." Carlisle said carefully, his heart aching as he saw how hurt her face looked.

"Of course, it was just an offer. I'm not expecting you guys to say yes or no so soon or at all. However, I also want to get to the point that I wanted to say." Ava tried to distract them both.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Esme asked, her voice too hopeful. She only knew her for such a small amount of time, but she loved her so much. She couldn't imagine a life without her. Esme has seen so much growth in Ava.

"I think, there's no other place I'd rather be. I want to be here. I need to be here." Ava softly whispered, looking at Esme in the eyes.

There was a happiness that Esme couldn't help but feel radiate all over her body. Her smile was so big, that if she was human, her cheeks would be hurting. There was that twinkle in her eyes that Carlisle loved. "Sweetie." Esme whimpered, letting go of Carlisle's hand as she hugged her daughter close. "Oh, I'm so glad." Sobs escaped her breath, as she held onto her for dear life.

Carlisle waited for Esme to let go of her daughter so he could get a turn and hug her. "I'm glad you're staying as well, Ava." Carlisle caressed her head as he gently placed his lips on her forehead.

They both took turns loving her, as she has never been loved before. For once, she was certain she made the right choice.

**~.~.~**

Ava had left the room shortly after their conversation, as she was invited to go into town by Rosalie, who was going to pick up some parts for her corvette. Esme and Carlisle were laying down on the couch where Ava was once sitting at. Esme laying on Carlisle's chest, her ear where his heart should be beating as he stroked her hair.

They were there in silence, as the sun was completely set behind them, the lights in their garden glowing into their window. Esme sighed deeply and looked up at Carlisle. "Honey, we have to talk about it." Esme whispered as she kissed his jaw.

Carlisle chuckled and held her closer and tighter to her body. "My love, we don't know if it's going to work." He reiterated, as his hand went up and down her back, trying to comfort her as much as he could.

"_Tesoro,_ we can have our own baby if it worked. A baby that is both equally yours and mine." Esme almost whined, as she closed her eyes. So many times, she has imagined a little baby of their running around their house. Maybe blonde or caramel colored hair, with her dimples, his eyes, his compassion, her love for the outdoors. Their child would be a feisty little one or a shy quiet child. Carlisle could teach them how to bat a ball or read with them in his study. While Esme could sit outside in her garden, as they both admired the beauty of the world, or they could go in and do finger-painting together.

"I'm scared of losing you, Esme. If God forbid, something goes wrong and I can't save you, I don't know how I could go on in this world." He said closing his eyes shut, as he felt her hum against his chest, her voice vibrating through his body, sending waves of comfort.

"You'd have a part of me with you, forever." Esme said sitting up, caressing his cheek in the most lovingly and gentle way she could.

"Esme, before I met you, I have spent so many years alone. I never knew what love was until you showed me what it was. You showed me everything I know. You're my person. You're my soulmate. The love of my life. My wife." Carlisle sighed, as he peppered her face with kisses, as he tried to hold in his fears and worries.

Esme sat up and straddled him as he laid down. "You think you're not all of those to me? Carlisle, for the longest time I used to flinch at the sound of a door slamming. It took me two decades to completely trust you. I gave you my trust and you have never let me down. I love you so much, dear. I want to share a little piece of you running around this house." Esme said putting her hands on either side of his face, giving him a lopsided smile. "Maybe not now, not anytime soon, but now that we know that it's a possibility, why not?" Esme murmured, as she stared into his eyes.

Carlisle smiled, as he stared into her golden eyes staring back at his. "Is Ava not enough?" Carlisle finally whispered; he noticed her face contort as if she was about to cry. Her mouth fell open as she breathed in a shaky breath and let out a sob. He hugged her body close to his, and rolled them over so they were facing each other, holding her face close to his chest.

"She's perfect. I love her. I need her. I didn't want to seem ungrateful, Carlisle." Esme sobbed into his chest, realizing that maybe she had seemed a tad ungrateful. "I spent so many years mourning the death of my child, I didn't realize my baby was alive all these years, and I finally have her and here I am crying and whining for another one." Esme cried, as she felt his body relax against hers.

"It's natural, mi amor." Carlisle cooed, trying to get her to calm down. His heart ached to see her so distraught.

"I just never got to see any of our children grow up. I want to raise my baby, our baby."

"What if, by the time our hundredth anniversary you still want to have my babies, we can accept Ava's offer." Carlisle whispered.

"That's so far away." Esme groaned as she buried her face deeper into his shirt.

Carlisle laughed and leaned back to get a better look of her face. "That's only three years away." He declared as he poked her nose with the tip of his finger, as she smiled up at her husband.

"Fine." Esme surrendered as she pushed herself off of him and groaned, as if it physically pained her to do so.

"Having trouble there, grandma?" Carlisle teased as he sat up from the couch and watched her fake a limp as she walked towards the door.

Esme turned around and scoffed. "Please, I'm the hottest grandma out there." Esme gave him a wink, as she walked normally with a little sway of her hips.

**~.~.~**

"Where are we going?" Ava asked in the passenger seat of Carlisle's car, as he weaved out of the forest and into town. He had asked her if he could run some errands with her, which she happily accepted.

There was a comfortable silence for the majority of the ride, as they let the radio play as background noise. The scenery around her made her thankful for this life for the first time in forever. She was able to see details she would have never before, hear sounds that wouldn't be heard to humans.

"I was wondering if you can help me pick out a few things." Carlisle said casually, as he zoomed by, as she saw leaves fly up into the air as they passed by.

"Why do you guys have to drive so fast?" Ava said putting a hand to her temple as she closed her eyes, as if it was making her nauseous.

"You sound just like Esme." Carlisle laughed, as he entered the city limits, slowing down just a bit. "Don't worry, Esme doesn't drive as fast. Maybe ten over but nothing crazy." Carlisle added as he winked at her when they came to a stop light.

"Emmett is wild, I hate being in a car with him." Ava groaned remembering the one time she drove with Emmett into New Haven.

_There was music blaring through the speakers, the windows rolled open. He had on his sunglasses regardless of the fact that there was no sun out at all. Ava was forced to put her hair into a bun, as the wind played with her hair a little too aggressive. _

"_Oh my gosh, Emmett!" Ava screamed as he passed a car that was in front of him, almost hitting the other car. _

"_Relax, Zellie! You're indestructible!" He roared with laughter as he sped up living the small town they had just passed by behind, as he turned onto the highway. _

"_Okay, but they aren't!" Ava snapped at him rolling up her window, however he just rolled it down once more. _

_Emmett couldn't stop laughing as they made their way to a sporting store that Emmett wanted to check out, and since she was the only one home at the time, he dragged her along. _

"I stopped driving with him because of that." Carlisle shook his head, a little disappointed yet shocked at the same time, as he hasn't gotten a speeding ticket in almost two months.

"Should've warned me, Carlisle." Ava teased, as she gave him a playful glare. She turned out to her window and saw that they were at a hardware store. "Why are we here?" Ava asked, turning around in confusion.

"Esme has been wanting to put a fire pit in the backyard for a while, so I came here to buy her one, and I want you to help me pick it out." He said as they both got out of the car, and walked towards the store, Carlisle a couple steps ahead of her.

Sand wood and paint was all she smelt when she walked in, as she followed Carlisle around the store to where the fire pits would be, she couldn't help but smile a bit. They were all slowly inviting her out for small outings, even if it was to run chores.

"Cullen?" a man called from the end of the aisle and it was an older man with slacks and a button-down shirt with a cardigan over it. She saw Carlisle smile at him and walk towards him.

"Chief Anderson, pleased to see you here." Carlisle greeted the Chief with a handshake. Ava slowly trailed behind them, stopping to look at a couple of models, staring at a white marble fire pit that was rectangular shaped. It was one of those modern ones, it looked like it could fit with the theme of the house.

"Nice to see you, what brings you out here?" the Chief asked Carlisle, as he fingered with some paint samples in one hand. "Oh, who's this?" Ava noticed that he was looking at her a little too intently, so she walked up to Carlisle and gave him a polite smile.

Carlisle smiled and put a hand on Ava's shoulder and gestured to her. "This is Ava, she's Esme's sister." Trying not to act a little shocked, she gave the chief a small wave before Carlisle continued. "We're picking out a fire-pit for Esme. Thought it'd be a nice surprise." Carlisle shrugged with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Ava, well, it was nice seeing you Cullen. See you around." With a final wave he was off.

"Why'd you say I was Esme's sister?" Ava asked confused as they walked down the aisle and looked at a couple more models, before she picked up a booklet that had different models that weren't shown in the store.

Carlisle fingered the top of one, inspecting it. Ava wrinkled her nose at it, it looked too rustic. "You look too much like Esme to say you're adopted, and no one will believe if we say that you're her daughter. Maybe we can say she got pregnant at fifteen or something when we move again." Carlisle mumbled as he circled the fire pit getting a better look.

Ava bit her lip as she flipped through the book. "Will I be going to school soon, Carlisle?" Ava asked as she walked over to him and sat on the edge of one as carefully as she could.

"Do you want to go to school?" Carlisle raised an eyebrow at Ava with an amused expression, the corners of his lips quirking up into a smile.

"Well, I get bored at home sometimes when everyone is out. Mom is fun and all, but I want to be around different people sometimes." Ava shrugged with a huff.

"What did you used to do before you found Esme?" He asked sitting across from her.

"Well, I would crash college courses sometimes as much as I could. Other than that, I would roam freely, trying to find my mother." Ava said with a small smile, as she reminisced on those lonely nights.

Carlisle pursed his lips and sighed, rubbing his palms on his thighs before standing up. "Well, we can enroll you in school, but there would only be two more months into the semester, Ava. Also, we need proper paperwork…" Carlisle trailed off, as he realized that he and Esme hadn't talked about legally adopting her.

"Like adopting me?" It was as if Ava could read his mind.

Carlisle laughed and nodded, eyeing the same fire pit that Ava was staring at. "Yes, like adopting you. What do you think of this one?" He asked, touching a foot to it.

"I liked that one most. Do you guys want to adopt me?" Ava questioned, as she saw Carlisle mentally note the model number that was on the price tag.

Ava followed Carlisle out to the car, as he walked a bit faster as he stared at his phone. "We would love to, if you want to be adopted. Remember, we're always letting you have a choice in everything. You're in control, sweetie." Carlisle reminded her, as they both got in the car.

"I mean, I want to get adopted. It's the final step of being part of the family, right?" Ava mumbled as she rested her chin on her hand.

"Papers don't mean anything, Ava. You've been a part of this family the moment you walked into our lives. It just means that we're legally a family." Carlisle turned to look at her and grabbed her hand and giving her a comforting squeeze.

Ava couldn't help but smile. "So, when is the family portrait?" she asked, trying to change the situation.

"In a week or two, Alice always plans it around…" he trailed off once more before looking at Ava somberly. "around your birthday."

"My birthday, why?" Ava asked, even more confused.

"Esme always gets in a funk, I guess you could say, around this time." Carlisle explained, as they pulled into a dealership. "She goes into this frenzy of trying to restore our other houses, painting anything and everything, sometimes she will go and lay on the bed for hours in the dark." He said as he remembered all those years of her shutting out the world for the whole month.

"Oh." Was all she managed to say.

Carlisle stopped the car and looked at Ava, noticing the sadness in her face. "She seems happier this time around. She still misses your brother, she sometimes goes to his grave, you know." He said softly, as he saw Ava's face fall more.

"It's crazy how she didn't even know about me all these years. Yet, I show up and she accepts me so easy. It baffles me sometimes."

"Esme loves everyone and anyone, it's no doubt she loved you the moment she laid eyes on you, sweetie." His English accent showing through a bit.

They sat in the car for a couple of minutes before there was a knock on her window, she jumped slightly at the sound but laughed as Alice had her face pressed against the window.

"Ready, Hazelnut?" Alice sang in an excited tone, as Ava rolled the window down.

"Why doesn't anyone call me by my name?" Ava groaned, grabbing her small backpack from her feet, and opening the door.

Alice rolled her eyes with a grin. "Ava sounds too formal, I love Hazel. Anyway, while Carlisle shops to spoil Esme, we have to go shop for the family portrait." Alice said, giving Carlisle a wink and dragging Ava to her Porsche. "Now, I want to do it in the garden, this time. I'm thinking white, red, and black." Alice explained as they climbed into her car.

Ava laughed and was enjoying her time with Alice, as they sang along to the radio together, with the windows rolled down, and not the way Emmett drives. "Do you always plan the family portraits?" Ava asked through the sound of wind and music.

"Yep." Alice emphasized the p in her yep. "Rose helps out too, sometimes. Esme is helping this year, actually. That's why she wants a fireplace this year, she wants to have a very casual scene with the family." Alice blabbered it all out in one breath, as she raced across the high way.

"I like the idea." Ava agreed, happy that this year's birthday was going to be her best yet.

**A little longer than usual. I also want to start planning the build-up to the climax. There's so many different idea's I have planned in my head. If you guys have any ideas, let me know however I'll narrow them down to my best three and let you guys know next update. **

**Thank you guys again all so much for the constructive criticism and the reviews, follows, favorites. It means so much to me! I can't thank you enough! **

Xoxo


	9. Family Portraits & Gifts

**Thank you to Sarahrey123 for giving me the prompt of having Rosalie and Ava speak about their abuse and Rosalie longing for a child. **

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

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**~.~.~**

Ava spent the rest of her day with Alice, as they shopped around for the family portrait. "Do you always shop for everyone?" Ava was looking through some racks looking for something either, red, white, or black per Alice's instructions.

Alice nodded, her hands full of potential outfits for Bella, Rosalie, and Nessie. "Hold these," Alice murmured as she held up two dresses for Ava to hold. "If I don't help them choose their outfits, especially Bella, they won't look the best." Alice sighed putting back one of the dresses back on the racks.

"Why are you letting me pick my outfit?" Cocking an eyebrow at Alice she handed her back another dress as she proceeded to look for her own.

"Because, you have proven yourself." Alice said as she draped a couple of more 'Alice Approved' pieces of clothing over her arm.

Finding the perfect pieces for her, she pulled them out showing Alice and sighed in relief when she gave a thumbs up. "Even the guys outfits?"

Alice laughed as she got in line to pay for their items, taking Ava's from her hands. "Especially the guys. If I let them shop for themselves, it is horrible. I don't know how they did it before I found them." Alice laughed. "Can you get my wallet out for me please?" Alice asked as they got closer to the front of the counter.

Ava fished out her wallet from her purse, as Alice carefully put everything on the counter as the young lady in front of them checked them out. Taking a couple bags from Alice once they were done, she waited until they were away from ear shot as they headed into the parking garage of the mall. "How did you find them?"

"I saw them in a vision, I quickly adapted to their vegetarian lifestyle when I saw them. I also saw Jasper coming. It took us a while to find our way to each other." Alice reminisced happily.

"Did you see me coming?" Ava asked softly.

Alice shook her head, popping her trunk open as she gently placed the bags in the back. "No, I did not, not until a couple of minutes before you showed up the house that is." Alice said matter of fact.

Ava bit her lip and nodded. "I saw you staying, however. So, I wasn't worried, and I see you with us for as far as I can see." Alice reassured her speeding out of the parking garage.

"I don't plan on leaving." Ava confirmed, as she looked out the window.

"Good, because I need a new best friend and sister." Alice squealed with delight.

**~.~.~**

They got back to the house in record time, she appreciated Alice's driving today. She didn't drive like a maniac as Emmett did but she didn't drive like Bella. Alice took all the clothes with her upstairs so Ava walked straight to her room to look for a book that would interest her. As she pushed the door open, she saw Esme sitting on her bed, with a small yellow blanket in her hands.

"Still smells like him." Esme whispered, as she played around with the beat-up yellow blanket in her hands.

Ava walked straight to the closet, pulled out the backpack she would carry with her and rummaged through it. At the very bottom was a similar looking blanket, but it was blue. "I had these all along. Probably was only washed once, but I know his smell still lingers on them." Ava said softly, as she petted the blanket and climbed onto the bed as she sat next to Esme.

Esme looked up at Ava, stray curls falling out of her ponytail that she had on. "I'm sorry, I was cleaning out some stuff and wanted to see if you had dirty laundry and I found it under your pillow while I was changing the sheets." Esme said in a low voice, her eyes glazed over.

The sight of her face broke Ava's heart a bit more. Normally she always saw her mother as happy as ever, and never once did she see her this way. "This is your home, don't worry about it." Ava tried to comfort her, as Esme just nodded, clenching onto the blanket, scared to let it go.

Although she was glad, she had a piece of her finally, she still lost another piece of her. The poor thing only lived two days before his little lungs and heart gave out. Her girl was a trooper, a fighter; just like her mother.

"Keep it." Ava said placing the blue blanket onto Esme's lap.

Esme shook her head and grabbed the blanket, feeling the soft fabric between her fingers. It was just as soft as when she first bought it, compared to the yellow one she knitted in her free time before her babies were born. "You should have something of his as well." Esme's voice cracked slightly at the thought of her giving up the only thing she had left of her son.

Shaking her head, she leaned her head onto Esme's shoulder. "He's always with me, mom. I know he is. It's a twin thing." She joked slightly as she felt Esme wrap a arm around her, while Ava did so as well.

Esme laughed softly and tucked the loose tendrils of her hair behind her ear. "Do you think it'd work?" Esme looked at her daughter as Ava laid down, looking up at the ceiling. Mimicking her moves, Esme held the blankets close to her chest. The smell of the blankets had a bit of dust on them; however, the smell of her son overwhelmed her nose. Her baby Nathan. "If you were to help us, I mean?"

Ava sighed and turned her head to look at her mother. "I'd really love for it to work, and I'm scared if it doesn't work out." Ava admitted, as the thought of potentially losing the mother she just found not too long ago ran through her head.

"I missed out on my chance to see you grow up and raise you. To be there for all your firsts. I want to have that. I've come to terms that I wouldn't have that." Esme sighed, closing her eyes as she wished she could feel tears stream down her face. "Now that I have the opportunity of having a baby again has come up, it's all I want right now." Esme blurted out.

"I understand, I really do. However, you did get to experience a couple of firsts with everyone, mom. The first time all your kids called you mom, the first time they made you proud and angry. I never know what it will feel like to have kids and still have that motherly instinct, but you were deprived of having your babies with you." Ava babbled on.

"All I want is a baby with Carlisle, Ava. I'm so grateful that you offered, but I won't go against Carlisle." Esme shook her head.

There was a noise that came from the door, as Rosalie stood there, her facial expression blank. Ava quickly sat up on the bed, making eye contact with her. "Um, I came to check up and see if there was any progress on the planning of picture day, but I'll come back." Rosalie whispered, hurt clearly in her face.

"Oh, dear." Esme sat up, smoothing over the creases of her dress as she stood up, gently folding the tiny blankets, before hugging them to her chest. "I'll go talk to her."

"No, I'll go." Ava put a hand on her shoulder, before walking out the door, Esme on her heels.

Emmett walked out of their room, looking a bit distressed. "She kicked me out."

"Can I go in?"

"If she lets you, by all means." Emmett shrugged, running a hand over his face.

Ava nodded, knocking on the door before opening the door to their room. Rosalie was sitting down on a lounge seat facing a window. "Rosalie?" Ava called out shutting the door behind her and leaning against it gently.

"You can come in; I won't do anything." Rosalie chuckled softly, bringing her knees up and bringing the throw blanket closer to her chin as she laid her head on the arm of the chair.

Taking the seat opposite of Rosalie, Ava looked out the window and saw the afternoon sky clearing for the day. "I'm sorry if I upset you."

Shaking her head, Rosalie looked over at Ava and gave her a weak smile. "No, Ava. You didn't, not intentionally at least."

"Do you mind me asking why?"

Sitting up from her seat she looked at Ava in the eyes, her face soft and weary. "You said your power was useless, Ava."

A little taken aback, Ava couldn't help but widen her eyes. "Well, I guess it is. I mean, I've only ever used it once." Ava said it a little unsure about herself.

"It is not useless, Ava. You have this beautiful gift of allowing people to conceive when they once could not." Rosalie stated. The thought of Ava helping out couples who were trying to conceive made her happy, because perhaps Ava could help her.

Quickly catching on to what Rosalie was trying to get at, Ava's mouth made a small 'o' shape as she looked down at the floor. "Rose, I didn't know." She softly said.

Rose reached across to put her hand over her Ava's own hand. "You didn't know. That's all I dreamed of, Ava. To have a family of my own, to watch my babies grow up into amazing people with a doting husband at my side." Rosalie smiled at her, as she imagined Emmett and herself having a child of their own.

"You'd have beautiful babies, Rose."

"I can only imagine now. I hated Carlisle for the longest time after he changed me." Rosalie admitted, looking down momentarily as she remembered giving him the cold shoulder for two months.

Ava raised her eyebrows at Rose's confession. "How come?"

"I wanted to grow old, have a family. He found me dying in a gutter after my fiancé at the time took advantage of me with his group of friends. After they were done having their way, they beat me to a pulp. A group of men against me. No matter how much I fought, pleaded, it seemed to edge them on even more. So, I just lay there, taking every punch and kick that came my way." Rosalie's face contorted as she remembered that horrid night, and Ava's face fell with sorrow, as she was able to relate a little bit with her.

"I'm so sorry." Ava only managed to whisper.

"I was really jealous of my friend Vera; she had this beautiful baby boy and this amazing marriage that was something that I wanted for myself. However, here I am. Damned to this life, stuck like this forever. I love Emmett with all my heart, but I still wish for me to have a baby of our own."

"I never really thought of myself having a baby. I do relate a bit about the abuse."

"You were abused too?" Rosalie asked cocking her head to the side, curious.

Ava scoffed before smiling softly, as she looked at Rosalie. "Yeah, by the same person who abused my mom. He was relentless. He was furious of the fact that Esme had left him, and the fact that I looked so much like her. I'm convinced that's why he wanted to take me in so much, so he could mess me up just the way he did with my mom. I'm sure what I lived through wasn't as horrible as you endured the last few hours of your human life, as you had never known of such things before."

"He was a work of art, wasn't he?" Rosalie said sarcastically as Ava giggled, nodding her head. "So, you never wanted to have a family of your own?" Rosalie asked.

"I wanted a family. That being having a mother and father, who loved me. I just never thought of me having children, and I guess it'll always be that way." Ava shrugged as she traced patterns on the arm of the seat. "They're beautiful and all, but not for me."

"It is for me. When Nessie was born, I was so excited for a baby to be around the house. I envied Bella for being able to carry life inside her. I just want to feel that, to feel the comfort of a baby bump, the moving and kicking inside my belly." Rosalie grinned.

"Carlisle said that this could be potentially dangerous." Ava warned, not knowing what to tell her.

"If I die during the process, I'd die knowing what it feels like to have a baby inside of me, my own baby." Rosalie stated, a little feistier than she intended, but still managed to come out that way.

Ava laughed a bit, then Rosalie joined as well. "Talk to Emmett with this, maybe even Carlisle. I don't want to put anyone in danger, that's the least I want to do. I care for you so much, Rose. Please really think this through." Ava whispered, as she patted Roses hand gently.

She got up from her seat and offered her a final smile before exiting her room. "Ava?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you decided to stay, it's nice having a sister who understands a bit of what I've been through." Rosalie thanked Ava.

"I'm glad too." She said with a grin, before closing the door to Rosalie's and Emmett's sanctuary.

**~.~.~**

_One Week Later_

It was the day of family portrait day. They were busy all night and morning arranging their backyard and garden to look as perfect as it can be. The fire pit came just in time the day before. Ava helped Edward set it up, making sure it functioned properly, and she helped Esme position it perfectly.

The garden was amazing, all the flowers were trimmed and taken care of. The grass was a vibrant green color as it was trimmed beautifully. The way the branches were pushed a bit higher up than they were originally growing out of. New fairy lights were strung across the trees, around the tree trunks. The fire pit was surrounded by a black and white outside sectional.

Everyone was in the house getting ready. Ava had just gotten done getting ready, she was wearing high waisted black pants with a white buttoned-down blouse tucked in, red heels on her feet. Her hair parted down the middle, with the hair beside her face pulled away. She walked down the stairs and sat down by the piano, her fingers lingering over the keys momentarily.

Esme was coming down the stairs her heels in hand, as Carlisle followed her. Esme was wearing a red sleeveless jumpsuit, her hair straightened with minimal makeup, yet she looked stunning. Carlisle on the other hand, looked dashing. He was wearing a white button down, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, with black slacks, his hair combed neatly. "You look amazing, baby!" Esme gasped as she saw Ava sitting on the piano bench, slightly startling her daughter.

Ava looked over and a grin spread over her face as she saw the happy couple in front of her. "Wow, you guys look hot!" Ava laughed, with a lack of a better word as she saw Carlisle snake his arm around Esme's waist.

"Thank you!" Esme exclaimed as she engulfed her daughter into a hug. "I'm so glad you're going to be a part of this."

"Okay, you three! It's time!" Alice came into the room wearing a white top with a red skirt, and the highest heels Ava could imagine, all while holding a manila envelope in her tiny hands.

"Who takes these portraits?" Ava asked, as she followed Carlisle and Esme towards the back doors and into the garden where everyone was waiting.

"A very good friend." Carlisle smiled, holding the doors open for Esme and Ava.

Rosalie and Emmett were matching, as Rosalie was wearing an all-black dress with red heels, her hair in a fancy bun with a few pieces of curled hair hanging around her face, while Emmett simply wore all black. Jasper matched Alice, wearing a red polo and white pants. Edward had something similar to Carlisle, while Bella was wearing red jeans with a black blouse and flats to with her outfit. Nessie was wearing a white sweater dress with black heeled thigh high booties.

"Everyone looks amazing!" Ava exclaimed as her eyes ran over every single person in the Cullen family.

A dark-haired woman came towards them, her long hair in a sleek side pony tail with a man following her as he carried a very expensive camera. "Carlisle, Esme! _Que lindos se ven!_" She sang happily, as she hugged them both. "You must be Ava!" she said before giving her a hug as well.

Ava smiled awkwardly, not aware what was going on, as she gently placed a hand on the woman's back. "Oh! Let me introduce you. Ava, this is Carmen and Eleazar. They're our cousins from Denali." Carlisle explained, as Ava shook their hands shyly now.

"Nice to meet you." Ava politely addressed them both as Esme wrapped her arm around her shoulders.

"Nice to meet you, as well Ava." Eleazar smiled at the young vampire. "Ready?" He winked at her as Carmen and Carlisle walked towards of the family.

"Ready. You take their family portraits?" Ava questioned, carefully walking on the grass with her heels, not wanting to mess up the grass or even the heels for that matter.

Eleazar chuckled and nodded as he fumbled with the camera in his hands. "I do. No one else can really capture the family's essence."

Esme smirked as she sat down on the edge of the fire pit. "What he means to say, is that every other human would be freaked out when they see that everyone is paired up."

"Come on, we're losing precious lighting!" Alice called over, clearly annoyed of the fact that they were taking for ever to join the rest. "Okay, we'll do couples first, then some shots of Ava and Nessie, some sibling shots, then a whole family." Alice instructed Carmen and Eleazer.

"Okay, _Mama y Papa_ first." Carmen clapped her hands as Carlisle and Esme walked up, holding hands.

Ava truly admired how well they looked together; they took a couple of pictures with them looking lovingly into each-others eyes. One shot of Esme sitting on the swing, with Carlisle holding onto the swing straps. Them sitting down on the sectional her legs thrown on top of his lap.

"Okay love birds, next couple!" Alice sang as she dragged Jasper forward and took their pictures, theirs showing a bit more affection as opposed to Carlisle's and Esme's.

All the couples took turns with their pictures, as Carmen positioned them in a way that looked best, and her cheering them on as she stood behind Eleazar.

"Okay, Nessie and Ava next!" Carmen said positioning Nessie and Ava next to each other sitting down on the sectional.

"Oh god." Ava muttered as she fixed her hair over shoulders.

"Just smile through the pain, I always do." Nessie said through her clenched teeth as she flashed a smile towards the camera.

There were more pictures taken with both of them, as they got more comfortable with taking pictures, being a little bit sillier than the rest. "Wait!" Esme called as they were done with their turns, she hurried over to Ava. "I want some with Ava." Caressing her cheek, she grinned at Ava.

Ava grinned back, her eyes lighting up with happiness. "Okay, why don't you guys go and stand by the arches, see if we can get some cool shots with the fairy lights." Eleazar suggested as he moved some things around with his camera.

"They're going to come out perfect." Carmen stated as she looked walked with them and turned her shoulder to wink at Carlisle.

Esme hugged Ava from behind as they both beamed towards the camera. One of them smiling at each other. They got a couple of shots in different positions in different spots before Carlisle joined in per request of Esme.

Alice came up behind Esme and Carlisle, handing Carlisle the folder she was previously holding. Esme beamed as she nodded to Eleazar to let him know to keep taking pictures, while her other daughters and granddaughter took out their phones to take their photos of their own.

Ava moved over so she was in between the two while Esme hid the folder behind her back. "Ava, before we continue, we just want to say that we love you so much. You brought back a joy in me that I was missing for so long." Esme told her with such love.

"Like I had previously told you, you were part of this family the moment we found out about your existence. Everyone has taken to you so easily, and we're so grateful for you, darling. You've grown so much as a person in your short time with us." Carlisle finished with a chuckle as he saw Ava's confused look on her face, yet it was filled with happiness.

"Thank you." Ava whispered.

"With that we'd like to say, happy birthday baby." Esme pulled the envelope from behind her back and handed it over to Ava.

Ava looked up at her mother with eyebrows raised as she turned the envelope between her hands. She looked over at Carlisle who nodded in encouragement and a kiss to her head. Ava just stared at the envelope for what seemed forever. If she were human, her heart would be racing and pounding out of her chest.

"For all that is good in this earth, open it up already Zellie!" Emmett groaned teasingly his arms around Rosalie as she was recording with her phone.

Ava glared at him before slowly opening the flap of the envelope and pulling out a stack of papers from within. As she leafed through the paperwork, she choked back a sob as a gasp escaped her body.

Esme and Carlisle hugged her both as she stared at the papers in her lap, as Eleazar took as many pictures as he could, while the rest of the family did as well. Ava's smile grew, the hole she once felt inside of her was suddenly filled with so much love.

She was officially a Cullen.

She was no longer Ava Hazel Evenson however she was now Ava Hazel Cullen.

* * *

**Don't worry! Does not end here! Still a couple more chapters left! Carmen and Eleazar are introduced for a reason. He will have more knowledge on her power of course. **

**Will all this be too overwhelming? ;) **

**Thank you all so much for supporting this story through its journey!**

**xoxo**


	10. Rêve

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

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**~.~.~**

_She's a Cullen. _

"Family picture!" Emmett yelled as he charged towards them with a huge grin on his face as he plopped himself next to Esme.

Ava was too shocked to go ahead and give him some witty remark or even shove him off. She felt Esme's lips on her head as her arms were around her, holding onto her as if she were to fall over but still felt the warm embrace that she was known for. Her fingers loosening around the paper work that declared her theirs.

"I-I'm a Cullen now?" Ava croaked out, still looking over the stack of papers on her lap.

"You've always been since the start, love. Now, you're just officially a Cullen much like the rest of us." Esme pressed her lips to her temple as she took on of Ava's hands and holding it tightly without hurting her.

Ava wrapped her own hand around hers, as she looked over at Carlisle who was beaming down at her, with a hopeful glimmer in his eyes. "You guys really want me? We only briefly talked about this last week?" Ava asked, a small smile creeping on her face at the thought that they really wanted her.

Carlisle nodded hugged her a bit closer. "Of course, we do! I act- "

"He's been working on it since I saw that you decided to stay, then he expedited the process just last week. We know a guy." Alice interrupted as she danced her way to them with Jasper in tow, a satisfied smirk on her face.

Looking at Alice with her smile growing she finally looked at Esme. "I have a family." Her voice soft, as she tried to compose herself as much as she could. "I have a family. I'm part of a family. Oh my God, I have a family!" Ava exclaimed happily, looking at everyone who was making their way towards them.

"Okay, family hug. Let's go." Emmett teased but Esme pulled Ava to her feet, Carlisle following behind. Emmett embraced Esme and Ava, as he felt Ava's small arms wrapping around him. Carlisle going ahead and hugging the two woman "Finally, I get to initiate you into the family!"

"There's no initiation." Rosalie scolded as she went over to stroke Ava's hair with a soft look on her face.

Edward and Bella walked up to them with Nessie a few steps ahead wrapping their arms around wherever they would fit, along with Alice and Jasper. Eleazar got some really got some really good pictures of the family hugging each other for what seemed the longest ever. Everyone was smiling and laughing which made her feel truly happy and wanted.

This is all she's ever asked for. To be part of a family, a family that loved her and thankfully this is what she got.

"_Que bello."_ Eleazer said before setting the camera in his hands in the casing, as Carmen clutched at her heart, with a look on her face as she looked at the family in front of her embrace each other with so much love.

"I honestly forgot today was my birthday." Ava admitted a bit sheepishly.

"We didn't." Esme sang, pulling from the embrace, a cue for everyone to let go as well. "I never forget your birthday, and now with more reason I won't ever forget." Esme hugged her close to her body, finally having her daughter all to herself now.

"There's one more gift." Carlisle spoke up, as he put a hand on Ava's shoulder.

The family walked inside the house as Esme gave Ava an excited look as she squeezed her shoulders slightly, before following the family, Carmen and Eleazar into the family and out to the front driveway. Confusion struck Ava, as confused to what her present was that she had to come outside for.

Before she had time to question further, Emmett pulled out of the garage with a car she's never seen before, a white Mercedes with tinted windows that were almost black. Emmett excitedly turned off the car and swung the door open as he stepped out of the car throwing his arms wide open, gesturing to it. "Catch!" He yelled before tossing the keys in the air towards Ava. Surprised, she reached into the air catching them above her head.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Carlisle whispered as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I thought you were buying the car for Esme?" Ava asked confused, twirling the keys in her hands.

"Nope. It was for you all along. I figured you'd quickly get annoyed of hitching rides with the other kids or borrowing Esme's. Also, it'd be very helpful when you go to school." Carlisle chuckled as the look of realization hit her face.

"That's why Alice picked me up. I can't accept this gift, Carlisle." Ava shoved the keys at him, overwhelmed already by the news of being a part of the family but now this over generous gift.

"Ava, take it." Esme pleaded.

Nodding slowly, she smiled at Carlisle and hugged him. "Thank you, Carlisle." Ava laughed out, letting herself enjoy every single moment.

He pulled away, holding her at arm's length. "Honey, you can call me dad, if you'd like." Carlisle soothed, reaching one hand to stroke her hair as she stared at him.

"_Dad._" The word foreign on her tongue. The word finally having meaning, as to her wanting to call someone dad for so long.

**~.~.~**

Emmett, Alice, and Nessie practically begged Ava to take her car on a test drive. They drove all the way into Hartford, as the city began to come to life as the sun was beginning to set in front of them.

"Ava, step on it!" Came a cry of desperation from the backseat, the voice belonging to Emmett.

"Seriously, Mamma Esme drives faster."

"I don't like driving fast!" Her hands tightening around the steering wheel, making a sharp U-turn as she headed back to the house before she kicked all three of them out.

"Carlisle has gone like maximum speed with his car, please." Alice pouted in the seat next to her as she sat up on her seat.

Sighing, Ava noticed they were entering the forest and smirked, raising an eyebrow and looking at her most impatient passengers through her rearview mirrors. "Maximum speed coming up." Ava smirked before stepping on the gas.

They didn't have time to react as Ava sped through the forest, faster she's ever driven. The foursome laughed and cheered their way back to the house, the windows and sunroof open as they let the last few sun beams infiltrate the car, their exposed skin shining when it did come in contact with the sun. Nessie excitedly got up from her seat and climbed up and stuck her body out the sun roof.

"Nessie!" Ava and Alice laughed as they pulled up the gravel driveway, every room in the house was lit. As Ava pulled into the garage that took a lot of space, she shoved the keys into her purse, as she followed her siblings and niece inside, only to find no one in there.

"Are they outside?"

Alice nodded as she headed out the back where they once were before her surprise. Outside they found all of them sitting around the lit fire pit on the sectional or on logs of wood that someone must have brought in from the forest. It was a sight that Ava loved to see, her heart soaring with delight as she knew that they were her family. Sure, she's been living with them for a little over a month, but something about being officially part of their family – her family – makes her feel wanted and validated.

"How was it?" Carlisle pulled her out of her head as she was just standing by the doorway, watching how they all interacted with one another. Esme gently patted the spot next to her coaxing her to come sit with them.

Ava pursed her lips before rolling her eyes teasingly. "They said I drove slower than mom." Ava scoffed sitting down next to Esme, the fire lighting up her face with tones of orange and yellow, giving some color to her face.

Carmen and Eleazar sat across from her as they cuddled against each other. Carmen's eyes were slightly closed as she hugged Eleazar, his arm wrapped around her in a loving way that was similar to how Carlisle holds Esme, but in Ava's eyes, no other couple compares to how they look at each other and interact with each other.

"So, Ava, I hear you have a gift." Eleazar casually blurted out as he studied Ava as she crossed her legs in front of her, pulling them underneath her after Rosalie handed her a blanket, even though she didn't need it.

Her eyes wide she nodded slowly. "Yeah, I do."

Eleazar nodded cocking his head to the side before smiling at her. "You have a remarkable gift you know. I've only heard of it a handful of times, and only seen three times with my own eyes."

Ava looked at him with curious eyes, wanting to know more, as she's never known of anyone with her power before. "Really? I only know about it because some nomad told me about it, saying she reads powers told me how to use it and everything." With a shrug, Ava looked down.

"Not only can you help other people who would want to expand their family, you also can have children if you would like."

"What?" Rosalie, Esme, and Ava both asked in unison.

Carmen looked at the three with a soft look as she straightened up from her seat. "Really, amor? That can happen?" Her eyes full of questions, not for her but for the two women she knew have always longed to have children.

"Yes, it can happen. It would only work if you want it to work, Ava." He said quite confidently.

Carlisle and Esme shared a look, wondering if the same thing could happen to them. Ava saw the look they gave each other, a glimmer of hope in their eyes. "Would it work if I used it on vampires? My gift, I mean." The desperation in her voice quite apparent. She wanted nothing more than give back to the two people who have given her what she needed and beyond that. Besides the desperation in her voice, there was something else. Something else she couldn't pinpoint.

Alice and Jasper shared a knowing look, as if they both knew something the rest didn't, Edward's mouth forming into a small smile as he saw what Alice and Jasper were thinking. Their luck was turning.

Eleazar stayed quiet for a couple of minutes, every pair of vampire eye staring at him intently, waiting for his next response, wanting to know what he was going to say next. "It can happen, yes. However, it's a strange conception."

"Strange how?" This time Bella spoke up, wondering how strange it can be compared to her pregnancy.

"Well, when the vampire conceives, they will carry the baby full term like a human pregnancy. The body will adapt to cater to the baby, and so you will also acquire human traits that will only last through the pregnancy and until the child is weened."

Ava looked shocked, a little taken aback. "Yet, Nessie over here popped out within a month of conception, and she aged like seven years in a month and only wanted blood." Ava retorted with a smirk. "How is that even possible?"

"See, that's the thing. You give the gift of conception, the conception of a normal pregnancy. That baby will have human traits, can get sick, eat, sleep, you name it." Eleazar expanded as everyone in the room was looking at him intrigued, their eyes roaming back and forth from him to Ava. "The baby will be more or less like Renesmee. Will age like a normal child if not, just at a bit faster speed but nothing like Renesmee.

"Will it be safe?" Esme questioned, as her hand went over to grab Ava's.

Eleazer sighed as he looked over at his mate, while she gave him an encouraging nod. "Relatively safe, yes."

Rosalie gasped with happiness, while Carlisle kissed Esme's head with the happiest eyes, something compared to when the day he met Esme.

Abruptly, Ava stood up and walked up to her room.

**~.~.~**

Throwing her heels to the other side of the room and stripping herself from the clothes she's only been wearing a couple of hours. Standing in the middle of the room in only her undergarments, she took in a deep breath, and let a sob out of her body. In the midst of the excitement and happiness that the last two hours brought her, she couldn't help but feel used right now.

Walking slowly into her bathroom she stared at herself in the mirror. The uncanny resemblance between her and her mom. The way her hair flowed around her face and down her back. The way her dimples made an appearance when she smiled or laughed when something happened that she deemed delightful. Her passion for the arts and nature shined through. Her love for human life, only killing people she knew were horrible people to quench her thirst. Going days or weeks until she could find an abysmal human.

Esme wanted a child of her own more than anything in the world. Here she was. A family was all she wanted. Somehow, she felt as if they were doing everything possible to keep her to give them everything she wanted. Esme wanted a baby with Carlisle. Not a grown vampire who she gave birth to ninety-eight years ago with the man who made her four years of marriage with him a living hell.

Turning the knobs for the shower, she let the hot water run. The room slowly filling with steam, fogging up the windows and the glass. Stepping into the shower with a shaky breath, the water slowly soaking her hair, sticking to her back. Would she give them what they wanted? Stay and know that they only really wanted her to stay to give them what they wanted.

The loofah was quickly in her hands as she slowly scrubbed the day away. Her birthday was the best yet, but now as the night had turned to the next, everything was back to normal. Her feelings of despair and unwanted. They didn't abuse her. Perhaps she was so used to being neglected and unwanted that she couldn't accept the fact that people love her. Paul was right, being close to people scared her. The idea of being in a family forever scared her. It scared her, but excited her. What feeling should she let overpower the other? The excitement or the fear?

Letting all the soap wash from her hair and body she turned off the water and wrapped herself in the fluffy towel Esme once wrapped her in. Throwing on leggings and a sweater, she let her hair air dry, as she walked down the hallway trying to find Rosalie. A sound caught her attention, and slowly ascended the staircase, to Carlisle's and Esme's floor. As she walked up the hallway, she noticed the door to Esme's studio was open and the light was on. Peering in, she saw Esme go through the camera a small smile on her lips as she leaned on her desk. Esme had dressed out of her outfit as well, wearing a blouse and leggings with flats.

"Are those the pictures?" Ava's soft voice swirled the air as she had a hand on her doorframe, before setting a tentative foot in the room.

Esme looked up, a grin spreading across her face as she sat up straighter in her chair. Ava walked in and took a seat across from Esme. "Yeah, Carmen lets me choose the pictures I like best before she starts to edit them. Not as if they need any editing." Esme winked at her as she noticed her peering over slightly, trying to get a better look. "Look, I like this one." Turning the camera towards Ava, there was a picture that Ava loved.

The picture showed the three of them; pearly white smiles in the camera. Ava was in front of Esme, with Esme's arms around her shoulders, her face next to hers while Carlisle was sitting next to Ava holding her hand. "I like that one too."

They sat there in silence, as they went through the pictures together. "Mom, um Eleazar said that conceiving would be safe, right?" Biting her lip, her eyes roamed the room, anywhere she could besides her face.

Esme looked up at her through her eyelashes, as she noticed Ava avoiding looking at her. "Yeah, that's right. Carlisle trusts Eleazar." Esme whispered turning off the camera and placing it back in its case. "We don't have to do it if you don't want to do it." Esme whispered, trying to ease her daughter who looked scared.

Ava got up from her seat and kneeled in front of Esme. Ignoring Esme's stammers and protests to see what she was doing; Ava placed a hand on where Esme's uterus should be. "Ava?" Esme asked a little louder, surprised as she felt her hand on her skin.

"Shh." Shushing her, she closed her eyes and reached for Esme's left hand. The last time she did this, she had to be discreet, so, she decided to do it when her friend was sleeping. Ava closed her eyes and took a deep breath before concentrating, and suddenly, the warmth she was searching for appeared.

Esme gasped at the sudden feel of warmth radiating through her pelvis and up her arm. Her eyes wide as saucers, she looked over at Ava who looked content. The warmth soon left her body around the same time Ava retrieved her hands from her body. "There." Ava whispered as she sat back on her legs before getting up. "Now, you just have to do your thing."

With a wink, Ava sat up and kissed her moms head, oddly comforting for her. Closing the door behind her, Ava tried to compose herself as she walked down the stairs and back into her bedroom. Walking towards her closet, she dug out one of her backpacks, and slowly packed it with a few clothes and items that meant something to her. She kept her brothers socks with her always.

Esme's Cardigan.

"_That's a pretty cardigan." Ava commented as Esme sat down on the couch by the fireplace as they both drew on their sketchpads, sketching each other as they tried to pass time. _

_Esme grinned and slid it off her, her sketchpad laying on her lap. "Have it, darling." Esme handed it over, Ava taking it from her with a grateful smile. _

Carlisle's piece of shirt she had ripped off by accident when he was trying to control her bloodlust the first time. It was the first time a male had cared for in such a manner.

Zipping her backpack up she sighed and tucked it under her bed.

Just in case.

* * *

**I had originally planned for Ava to leave; however, I don't know if I should have her leave or just shut everyone out for a while. **

**Thank you all for all your love & support, it means the world to me. I feel like I sound like a broken record sometimes, but it still has the same sentiment. **


	11. Foxes and Crackers

**Still convinced that a younger Alexis Bledel would look like a perfect daughter for Esme. **

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

* * *

**~.~.~**

Esme sat back in her chair amazed. Amazed of the sudden warmth she felt, and it still lingered in her womb. Instinctively she placed a hand on her tummy and let it stay there. She wondered if she had to wait to kick in or if she'd get pregnant right away. Looking at the small clock she had on her desk, she smiled knowing Carlisle was going to come in any minute. Almost as if on cue, there was a short rasp on her door, as Carlisle appeared on the door frame with a smile on his face.

"Carmen and Eleazar doing fine downstairs?" Esme reached out for his hands, grinning from ear to ear. Holding his hands in hers, staring into his golden orbs, she saw and felt the love that they both had for each other, and now she was even more excited to have his child.

Carlisle nodded and kneeled in front of her, in a manner similar to how Ava did thirty minutes ago. "You look happy, love." He commented caressing her cheek, his heart melting a bit as she leaned into his touch.

Esme hummed in affection, and slowly got up from her chair and swiftly closed the door behind her quite dramatically. Giving him her most seductive smile she walked over to him as he stood up from his kneel. "I am happy." Giving him a playful shove, he fell onto her chair. Leaning down she kissed his forehead. "Carlisle, I hope you don't mind but Ava did it." Esme whispered, watching his face carefully.

Carlisle reached up to cup her cheeks. "Did it work?" was all he asked.

Esme shrugged and straddled him in her chair as she popped the first couple of buttons from his shirt, her fingers lingering his bare chest momentarily. "Well, there's only one way to find out." She breathed out as she leaned into him, pressing her lips to his, softly at first. Carlisle smiled into the kiss as she returned the kiss, giving into her.

Deepening the kiss, Esme reached down to unbutton his belt with a swift movement she undid his pants button and zipper. "You're so eager, _cariño." _He chuckled moving so she could undress him easily.

"I know, but I don't really care right now." Esme smirked continuing their passionate kiss.

Carlisle laughed and moved her over to her desk pushing everything out of the way before placing her on it. Esme gasped as he kissed her neck a smile on her lips. "I love you, Esme." He whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

"I love you, too." Esme gasped as she felt pleasure running through her body.

**~.~.~**

_One Month Later_

Eager to find out if Ava's power really worked out, Esme and Carlisle took every opportunity to try and conceive, mostly at night when they knew everyone else would be busying themselves for the night. Only once did they drive Ava away.

Lately, Esme has been having food cravings. Taking a couple spoonsful of whatever Nessie was having for breakfast or lunch, trying to satisfy her cravings. Her hunting trips with Carlisle were slowly going away, as she didn't really need to go out as often, or even at all. However, she went to spend time with Carlisle.

It was still early in the morning, a bit before noon. Ava had left to go check out a bookstore in town and get some mail from the post office. After finishing her chores, Esme was sitting down by the island, feeling her stomach churning a bit. Furrowing her brows, she tried to trace back her steps from the morning. She had a couple of fresh strawberries that Nessie had left out from the morning after she made herself a smoothie.

Easing herself off the stool, she felt lightheaded as she felt queasy. Her eyes wide, she ran upstairs and locked herself into her bedrooms bathroom as she let whatever came up from her stomach and into the toilet.

**~.~.~**

Ava sighed as she pulled up the driveway from towns post office and grabbing the pile of mail from the passenger seat while stepping out of the car. Ava was still conflicted and felt as if she was trapped. Constantly shutting herself from the rest of the family, only interacting with them with the bare minimum. There were times when they would invite her out, even if it was to go hunt with them. Nessie even took her as her date to her junior prom, it was one of her fondest memories to date.

_Alice was busy curling Ava's hair while Rose was helping Nessie do her hair with both girls doing their own makeup. _

"_It's not even my prom, I don't understand why you guys are making such a big fuss." Ava grumbled as she applied her lipstick, making sure it was on even. Through her mirror she saw Alice roll her eyes while waving the curling iron around dismissively. _

"_Zellie, who cares! You're going with me, so zip it!" Nessie tossed a brush at her as she sipped on her soda can while Rosalie pinned back a couple of her tress down by the nape of her neck. _

"_It's not even your senior prom, junior proms sound kind of ridiculous if you ask me." Ava sighed closing her eyes, as Alice sat down the curling iron and sleeking back the sides of her hair a little bit. _

"_Any dance is special, Hazelnut."Alice put her hands on Ava's shoulders, pulling a couple of strands in front of her face as the finishing touch. Ava opened her eyes and looked at herself from side to side, approvingly. "There, you look perfect!"_

_As both girls finished getting ready, Ava slipped into her dress it was a blush dress with champagne lace over it with a slit on her right side, a sweetheart neckline with off the shoulder straps. _

"_Ready?" Nessie asked, fixing the skirt of her dress as she was wearing a royal a line dress with a deep v neck line. _

"_Ready." Ava sighed, grabbing her clutch and walking down the steps with Nessie, their arms linked together._

Throwing her bag beside the couch, she plopped down and leafed through the stack of mail, a couple bills, some subscriptions. Her brows furrowed when she saw an envelope written out for her. Setting the rest of the mail on the coffee table she carefully ripped open the envelope and saw a couple of pictures in there and a small note.

_Thought you'd like these for yourself_

_Carmen. _

Ava smiled, relieved that it was only Carmen. Taking the pictures out of the envelope, there was a small stack. A couple of pictures of herself, a couple of them being candid pictures of her laughing with the family throughout their stay, the pictures from their picture day, the one with her and the family in the group hug as everyone was laughing and smiling, with her and Nessie, one of just her siblings and herself, a picture of just Esme and herself, and finally the one that she and Esme liked so much.

Lingering on the picture of the one with her family, she heard heaving from upstairs. Shoving the stack into her purse, she quickly got up from the couch and walked upstairs and into Esme's and Carlisle's room, where the heaving was coming from.

"Mom?" Ava called out, and quickly flitted over to the bathroom they had in their room. As she tried to open the door, she noticed it was locked. Knocking on it slightly, she heard Esme groan from the other side. "Can I come in?" Her voice soft, dripping with worry as she heard her expel whatever was in her system into the toilet.

There was a soft clicking and she turned the knob to find Esme clutching onto the porcelain rims of the seat, her hair covering her face. Hurrying to her side, she pulled her hair out of her face, as she Esme expelled a combination of red chunks that still held the faint smell of strawberries and animal blood. There was a small hint of joy that Ava felt, knowing that it worked.

Rubbing her free hand down her back in a soothing manner, Ava cooed softly as Esme's body shook. "I feel awful." Esme groaned, her cheek resting on the cold seat.

Ava nodded and flushed the toilet for her, stroking her hair trying to comfort her the best she could. "It worked."

Esme smiled softly, a hand instinctively going to her stomach as if she might feel something there. "It did?" Esme croaked, her throat feeling raw after she almost puked everything in her system.

"It did, you're eating food, and I swear you look clammy." Ava murmured as she tied Esme's hair back with a hair tie. "Have you told, Carlisle?"

Shaking her head, she lifted her head off the toilet seat and smiled weakly at Ava. "No, I guess I should call him soon." Esme tried to get up from the floor but felt weak. Pulling Esme up from the floor, she held her up as she walked them to her bed.

"Cuddle with me till Carlisle gets here? You're cold and it feels good." Esme chuckled.

"Of course."

**~.~.~**

It was a quarter until two, and Carlisle sped his way up their driveway. Only Esme's and Ava's cars in the driveway. As he walked into the house, it was quiet. Normally there was music playing if it was just both of them but today there was nothing.

Perhaps they went hunting, but as he walked into his room, he saw Esme curled up into a ball with her eyes closed while Ava was hugging her, stroking her hair. Turning her head, Ava smiled at Carlisle. "Hi." She whispered looking down at her mother.

"Is she okay?" Concern dripping from his tongue, as he glanced over at Esme as her eyes were closed, she looked so peaceful.

Ava nodded slowly easing herself away from Esme, making sure not to move her. "She's fine, just a rough morning. I'll let you be." Ava said fixing her hair and picking up her shoes from the foot of their bed. Ava smirked as she passed him, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Esme slightly stirred from her position but remained that way. Climbing onto the spot where Ava previously laid. Pushing away one of her loose hairs away from her face, her eyes still closed. He watched her as she let out a sigh, as her eyes began to slowly flutter open. "Hi, daddy." Esme smiled, her voice a bit hoarse from her short nap.

"Daddy?"

Reaching up to touch his cheek, she nodded excitedly. "Yes, my love. It worked. We're going to have a baby." Esme giggled.

His smile only widened as he saw how excited Esme was. "Darling, I'm going to be a dad?"

"You're going to be a dad."

"I love you, beautiful." He murmured as they hugged each other as they lay there. His hand went over to her tummy his cold hand against her stomach. It felt amazing against her skin. "I'm going to be a dad to a beautiful baby."

**~.~.~**

Taking her bag to her room, Ava sat down in the middle of her bed with a record playing in the background. Taking the pictures from the inside of her bag she laid them out on her bed. It was crazy how even the simplest photographs made her feel happy and complete, however, she couldn't help but feel this pang of sadness within her.

Holding her two favorite pictures in her hands, she mentally thanked Carmen for sending her own pictures. The picture of her and her mother and the one with the whole family never left her bedside table drawer. Putting them back in there, she got up from her spot and walked up the stairs to check on Esme.

"How are you doing?" Her voice soft, as she saw Esme sitting on her bed, sitting on the foot of the bed. Carlisle walked out of their bathroom with a trash an empty trash can in his hands.

"Peachy." Esme scoffed rolling onto her side as Carlisle rushed to her side with the trash can by her side.

"You need to have something in your system." Ava murmured pulling her hair back prepared if she did get anything out of her system.

Shaking her head Esme rolled back onto her back and shut her eyes tight. "No, I'm fine."

"Carlisle."

"Ava's right, love. You need to have something, blood or food, even water please." Carlisle pleaded, placing his hand onto her forehead.

The sound of cars pulling up the driveway made her whip her head up, while Esme tried to get up but gently being pushed down by Carlisle. "I need to greet them."

Ava laughed and shook her head. "Nope, I'm getting you crackers and water, maybe kill a squirrel or something." Ava said getting up from her spot and kissed her mom's head, a habit she's gotten used to do whenever she leaves the room or enters it. It brought comfort to her, as well as Esme.

Rushing downstairs, she found her siblings sitting around the family room, doing the homework they received for class. Giving them a wave, she walked to the cupboards and got out a packet of crackers and a water bottle from the fridge.

"Zellie, what are you doing?" Emmett asked looking up from his textbook on his lap as she passed by the sitting room, as he raised an eyebrow as he eyed the items in her hands.

Ava smirked and opened up the packet of crackers taking one and shoving it in her mouth. "Torturing myself." Her mouth stuffed with dried up cracker, a couple crumbs flying out of her mouth.

"Oh yeah? Swallow it then." He leaned back from his seat, staring at his sister with a pleased smirk on his face.

Panicking for a second, she swallowed the dry mush in her mouth already regretting her decision soon. Opening up the water bottle, she took a sip and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Did it." Ava sang, as she tossed a cracker his way but hitting Jasper in the process. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Shock in her face, Jasper laughed it off as he plucked the cracker out of his hair.

"Don't worry, I'll chuck it for you." He smirked, chucking the cracker a head of him, the cracker grazing his lip.

Ava smiled before turning on her heal to take the items up to her mother. "Thank you, Jazz."

"Have fun regurgitating everything back up, Ava Hazel Cullen!" Emmet called out behind her as she ascended the stairs, while she flipped off her brother.

Knocking on her mom's door softly before entering the room, she saw Carlisle and Esme cuddled together on the bed. "I have your _des collations_." Ava sighed, handing her the packet of crackers.

Carlisle had an amused look on his face as Esme laughed before placing a cracker on her tongue and slowly chewing on it. "Where did that come from?"

"Oh, I'm learning French. Everyone here knows like five languages; thought I'd learn how to speak French first." Ava shrugged and sat down by the bed as she took off the lid from the water bottle.

"That's good, hon." Esme cheered on, as she sat up on her bed. "How are the kids?"

"Your adults are fine. They were doing homework the last time I saw them." Ava corrected, in a teasing tone. "You're going to have a baby soon, worry about yourself for a while. You need to take care of yourself and the life that is going to be growing in you for the next couple of months, mom."

"You're right. I need to tell them." Esme swung her feet off the edge of the bed having Ava and Carlisle help her up slowly, so she wouldn't get dizzy and return to being best friends with the toilet. "I'm not nine months pregnant, I can still get up by my own." Esme rolled her eyes as both of them dropped their hands to their sides.

Esme lead the way down their stairs, with Carlisle behind her watching her every move, feeling more protective over his wife and mate. Ava was having fun watching the way he shadowed her every move down the halls and down their stairs, as if she might trip over a speck of dust and tumble down their three flights of stairs.

**~.~.~**

Esme did her best to block her thoughts from her gifted son and tried to play with Alice's blind spots. She walked down the stairs as casual as she could, taking a seat on the empty love seat, as half of her kids were doing their work in the dining room table.

Ava sat down by her feet, as she grabbed a book from the coffee table, flipping through it, occasionally glancing up from her spot as she felt Esme fidget slightly in her seat. Trying to comfort her in the best of her ability, she held onto her ankle, something that her best friend from her human years used to do when she was nervous.

Carlisle stood behind Esme, his hands on her shoulders, softly massaging them. Leaning back into his touch, she closed her eyes partly because she thought she was going to puke again, but partly because it's what made her feel better. He always made her feel better.

"Are you okay?" Rosalie looked up from her tablet, her pen in her hand as she wrinkled her eyebrows, as Esme looked like she was about to pass out.

Esme nodded looking opening her eyes, suppressing her urge to heave right now on her floor. "I'm fine, Rose." It had caught all of her kids' attention, Ava's thumb rubbing circles on her ankles as she continued to read her book. It was one of Esme's book on the art during the Rococo years. "I have something to tell you something." Esme breathed out, looking up at Carlisle for confirmation as he nodded with a affirming look.

"You guys are swingers?" Emmett shouted out standing away from his seat, slamming shut his textbook.

Ava snorted with laughter, closing her book and tossing it back on the coffee table. "Oh, yes. They are swingers, they have a group in Hartford and New Haven that they run." Ava rolled her eyes, watching as the rest of her siblings suppress giggles and chuckles as they saw the confusion on Emmett's face. "No. They are not swingers."

"Thank you." Carlisle laughed, rubbing his hands up and down his wife's arms.

Esme cleared her throat, reaching up to hold Carlisle's hand trying to find the courage to tell her adoptive kids that she is carrying her miracle baby. "I am pregnant."

There were a chorus of whoops and congratulations, yet a sad look from Rosalie. Ava noticed her sad expression and bowed her head, as she remembered the conversation, she had with Rosalie a week or two ago.

_It was raining hard in Connecticut that day. Ava had just gotten home from New Haven as she was picking up some items that Esme had sent her to pick up, a couple of paints that she could only find at a New Haven art supply store. While she was in New Haven, she checked out the smaller book stores, and boutiques that they had. While she was in one of the smaller boutiques, she found the cutest little pale orange onesie that had cartoon foxes all over it, it had a matching beanie and socks. She smiled at the thought that perhaps her future half-sibling was going to be wearing the onesie, so she declared that her animal was going to be foxes. _

_Leaving the onesie in the trunk of her car, she lugged the many paints and canvases that Esme had sent her to pick up, unpacking everything in Esme's studio she heard some movement coming from downstairs as she slowly stacked the canvases on of her mom's shelves._

_Walking down the stairs slowly she heard Rosalie take in a shaky gasp. Knocking on her door, she waited outside listening to the rustling inside before the door swung open and found Rosalie laying down on her bed, hugging a pillow close to her, as she had the lights off, with soft music playing in the background. _

"_I never pegged you for the indie type of music." Ava commented sitting on the edge of her bed, as she looked over at Rosalie's phone as the song changed. _

_Rosalie smiled softly and nodded, the sound of the rain hitting her window and the music creating a medley that brought her peace and comfort. "Yeah, it makes me feel better." Rosalie whispered patting the spot next to her, as Ava took off her shoes and crawled over and laid next to Rosalie as they listened to her music in silence. _

"_Something's wrong, Rose." Ava pressed, wanting to know what was wrong with her new sister. _

_Rose sighed, throwing the blanket off of her. "Emmett didn't agree."_

"_Rose, I'm sorry." _

_Taking in a shaky breath she shook her head. "He said he didn't want to risk losing me, maybe in a couple of years or soon, but he said that he had too much on the line if you were to have helped me. I don't want to lose him either, but Ava, it hurts me so much that I won't be able to have the opportunity to have a baby." Rosalie let out a dry sob escape her body, her body wracking as she began to sob uncontrollably. _

_Ava held her, unsure what to say. It upset her that Esme was able to get what she wanted, but Rosalie wouldn't. "He'll come around."_

"_Yeah, in a couple of years. Ava, Esme gets to meet one of her first born after all these years, and she still gets to have another chance at having a child while I get none?" She scoffed, slightly, enjoying the company that Ava was giving her. _

_Ava sighed and held her hand, trying to find the words to comfort her. "Rose, you'll still be young. It's not like you won't be able to have a chance at conceiving. As long as I'm around, I'll be able to help you." _

"_Thank you, Ava, you're a good sister you know." Rose sighed, closing her eyes as she heard the soft guitars playing the background with the small beat of the drum. "I'm glad you stalked Carlisle and Esme that night." _

_Both girls laughed as they talked about Rosalie's baby that she always imagined having, how she'd raise her child, and how she'd be spoiled rotten. _

Ava gave Rosalie a sympathetic look, but Rosalie only nodded as she walked over to Esme and gave her a tight squeeze. "I'm so happy for you, momma." Rosalie whispered, a small smile on her lips.

"Really, Rose?" Concern in Esme's voice as she looked at her daughter after they separated.

"Yes, I'm really happy for you. That little nugget is going to be so loved." Rosalie placed a hand on Esme's tummy, even though there was nothing to show for her pregnancy just yet.

**~.~.~**

_Couple of Months Later _

Esme's cravings have been off the roof, as she was mid second trimester. It was funny in Ava's eyes to see her scarf down a stack of pancakes with lots of berries and syrup. They tried getting an ultrasound, however it didn't work. Alice knew what the baby was going to be already, but she didn't want to tell them what the baby was going to be.

Ava and Esme spent their days together, as they planned the baby's nursery. They stuck with the fox theme with oranges and yellows with hints of greens. Ava was on a latter sketching out a big tree in the corner of a room with a fox reading a book under the shade. "Have you thought of names?"

Esme looked up from her tablet, her hand resting on her small bump, as she looked for cribs and anything that the baby would need. "I have."

"Can I hear them?" Ava asked huffing a piece of hair away from her face.

Esme smiled and set her tablet aside and looked at the work that Ava was doing. "You know, I can help out."

Ava shook her head and stepped down from her stool, as she finished with the outline and moved onto the smaller details. "Nope, you're staying there." Ava turned to look at her mother with a cheeky grin. "So, I can hear the names?"

"If it's a boy, I was thinking of naming him after Carlisle."

"Don't. It's a unique name, but don't do it. Homeboy is going to be teased most of his young life." Ava stopped her there with a quirk of an eyebrow and a laugh. "Surly, you have a backup."

"I was kidding, Carlisle didn't let me name the baby after him." Ava laughed along with Esme. "I was thinking either Nicholas or William."

"For girls?"

"Adeline or Luna."

"Those are pretty names. I like all four." Ava smiled over at Esme, as Esme held onto her small baby bump. "Is baby moving?" Ava asked hopeful, as Esme nodded. Flitting over to her side, Ava pressed a hand to her bump and smiled as she felt the baby kick at her hand.

"Baby likes you." Esme commented as she watched Ava smile as she ran her hands across her bump.

Ava smirked and nodded. "Of course, I'm Baby's favorite sister, of course." She sat there enjoying the way she felt the baby move and kick away, even though it might have been uncomfortable for Esme. "Can I ask you something? When Edward left those three times, did it hurt?"

Esme's smile fell as she nodded, remembering the three times Edward left them, it tore her hear apart. "It did. A little more so when it was just us three, and again when we moved because he thought it'd be safer for Bella. I missed my son dearly; I didn't know if he was okay as he only called once a month while we were in Ithica." Esme recounted as she looked out the window.

Ava bit her lip and took her mother's hand. "I'll be back." Ava whispered, kissing her mother's head, smoothing out whatever creases she had in her clothes and walked out of the room.

Nessie had told her that Edward had left multiple times during his time with Esme and Carlisle. Each time breaking Esme's heart once more. As Ava walked into her room and let out a huff and took out the onesie and her backpack from her under her bed and placed it on the bed.

She knew Esme was going to be fine, now that she was in lesser danger of losing the baby, Carlisle was around a lot more often, he's only at the hospital four days out of the week, as opposed to everyday of the week most of the time. It breaks her heart to know that she was going to put Esme in so much distress, potentially. She had to do it.

She had to do it soon, without anyone ever finding out. She needed to find herself and see if she really belongs.

* * *

**I know I sped through some of Esme's pregnancy in the chapter, but please remember that it's a story of Ava and Esme with the rest of the family. **

**So, let me know if you'd like a tie in to this story, as there I could go into full detail of Esme's experience with her pregnancy. **

**Also, should she have twins again because either she has a baby boy, or twins. A boy and a girl again. I like the idea of Esme having twins. **


	12. Stone Cold Hungry

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight. **

**~.~.~**

Two weeks have gone by, and Esme was getting bigger by the second. Everyone was being so accommodating and overprotective of their mom. Ava a little more so than her brothers and sisters, she tied with Carlisle in that department.

Rosalie and Ava were at the mall, stocking up for everything and anything baby related. Esme had picked out a crib that they had delivered to their house Carlisle had set it up in the nursery just a couple of hours before the headed out to the mall. They were in the baby section of one of the department stores, while they both looked through racks.

"It'd be so much nicer if Alice let us know what Esme was having." Rosalie huffed as she pulled out a white and yellow onesie with baby chicks on them.

Ava laughed as she put a grey fluffy blanket in her basket, it was neutral. It was safe for whatever Esme was going to have. It matched Baby's crib. "I wish I knew what the baby was going to be, so I don't have to call the baby, Baby." Ava grumbled, going through her basket, while Rosalie added a pair of socks to hers.

"Well, Baby is going to be here in a couple of months. It'd be nice to have a baby in the house longer than a month." Rosalie sighed.

Ava and Rosalie paid for their items, as they slowly walked through the mall, looking inside the shop windows to see if anything sparked their interest. "Rose, did you ever feel out of place in the family?"

Rosalie stopped dead in her tracks, as she watched Ava fidget with the bags in her hands. "Ava, you've been shutting everyone out, are you okay?"

"You get that from me asking if you've ever felt left out?" Ava asked in a defensive tone, rolling her eyes walking ahead of Rosalie, almost running.

"Ava, wait!" Rosalie called after her, as she sighed and picked up her speed as she walked out the door, pulling the hood up over her head, as it began to drizzle.

Ava shook her head, waiting by Rosalie's car waiting for her to unlock the doors, a little annoyed. "Look, Rose, I just want to go home. Forget I asked."

As they both walked in the car, Ava shoving the bags into the backseat she leaned her head on the window, as Rose drove at a relatively okay speed. "Ava, I'm sorry if I offended you."

Ava sighed and shook her head slightly. "No, you didn't. I just haven't found my place just yet in the family."

"You've only been with the family for a couple of months, not even a year yet, Ava." Rosalie looked over at her sister as she looked slightly discouraged.

"I still feel like I'm intruding. Just drop it, please."

**~.~.~**

They were home for a while after their shopping trip, Ava quickly retiring to her room, shutting the curtains on her windows. She laid there for what seemed like hours, staring at the ceiling. Her mind all over the place, still contemplating on leaving or staying. There was no way she could put her mother in so much pain. Maybe she'll come back and watch her baby brother or sister grow up. Maybe she'll come and check on them once in a while.

"Ava?" A soft voice came from her door that she recognized it to be the comforting voice of her mother.

She looked up to see Esme standing by her door, her hand on her bump, the other hand on the door handle. She looked concerned, not for her or her baby, but for her daughter. Ava has been shutting everyone out for the past month, and it's concerning everyone, Carlisle and herself the most. She would only speak when spoken too, and only give simple one-worded answers if permitting.

Esme's hand on her belly walked over to Ava. "Ava, baby, are you okay? Rosalie told me you had a little outburst at the mall today?"

Ava rolled her eyes, pulling the covers over her as she felt the mattress shift as Esme slowly eased herself on the mattress. "Of course, she did." Ava sighed turning to face her mother, her face softening as she saw her heart shaped face riddled with concern and compassion. "I wish, I can somehow revert to being human or just being able to sleep."

Esme eased her way up to Ava's level pulling the covers over her body as she caressed her belly, feeling Baby move a little more as she adjusted herself to a comfortable position. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

Ava sighed turning her head slightly, closing her eyes momentarily. "I don't know. I feel empty." Was all she said.

Esme sighed and wrapped her arms around her daughter, even though she was already older, she knew her daughter needs comfort. "I'm here, baby. You know you can talk to me, sweetie. There's nothing you can say or do that would make me not want to be here for you. You're my daughter, I just got you back."

Ava smiled softly and nodded. "You're lucky, to sleep and escape the world even for eight hours at a time. Do you dream?" Ava asked trying to steer the conversation to something else.

Ever since Esme conceived, she slowly has been regaining some of her human abilities to cater to Baby a lot better.

_Ava was sitting down on one of the couches in the family room, while all the couples were in their rooms. The laptop that Esme gifted her on her lap, as she was watching a movie to pass the time. That's what she did during her free time at night when everyone was huddled up in their rooms. _

_Searching another movie to watch, she heard someone coming down the stairs, but it was more cautious as they descended the stairs. Ava looked up from the screen when she saw Ava with her robe on barefoot rubbing her eyes slightly as her eyes adjusted to the sudden sunlight. _

"_Mom? Are you okay?" Ava asked concerned wondering where Carlisle was. Closing the laptop, she rushed to her side trying to support her if there was something wrong with her. _

_Esme chuckled and shook her head as she walked into the kitchen, pulling cereal from one of the cupboards and taking the box with her to where Ava was once sitting. "I was just hungry; Baby was hungry too." Esme said through a fistful of cereal in her mouth, Ava's eyebrows raised amused at the sight in front of her. _

"_Well, Baby eats every other hour." Ava put a hand on her mother's stomach, seeing if she could feel any movement in there. "Carlisle say's you sleep now?" Ava sat down on the couch, watching her munch on cereal._

_Esme nodded as she shoved her hand back into the cereal box, as she leaned back on the couch, laying her legs on Ava. "Yeah, Baby tires me out." _

"_I bet, well thank god you don't need sleep after Baby is born, because that Baby I'm sure is going to be hurricane." Ava laughed, rubbing her mothers swollen ankles as Esme finished the box of cereal on her lap. _

"_We're going to need another box." Esme said sheepishly as she sat the box on the floor. _

"_I'll go first thing in the morning, go get some rest." _

"I do dream. I dream of you, of your brother, of Baby, of Carlisle, of the rest of my family. These dreams are so vivid, something more than just daydreaming and getting lost in my head. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever done. I forgot what it's like to dream. Those eight hours feel so short. I always look forward to my next sleep, excited for the next dream." Esme went off babbling on about her dream experience.

Ava listened intently, amazed by the way her mom explained what she sees when she sleeps. "Do you get nightmares?"

"I do get nightmares, but they're very rare. Carlisle is the sweetest, he knows when I get nightmares. He says that I move my hand from my bump to my face and start whimpering. He starts giving me kisses on my forehead until I wake up to rid me of my bad nightmares.

"Do you mind if I ask what your nightmares are about?" The intrigue in her voice as she watched Esme look at her.

Esme propped herself on her elbows before slowly sitting upright, holding onto her bump. "My nightmares consist of whatever I can remember from Charles, of Baby dying like your bother did, your brother dying in my arms. You."

"Me?"

"That you may leave my side." Esme whimpered, feeling her eyes well up with tears.

Ava looked away, guilty that she did think of leaving. Did she really want to leave? Perhaps she might do what Edward did, take a period for herself. However, she was alone most of her life, while Edward wasn't. He has always been with the Cullen's. It was always Carlisle and Edward for a couple of years before Esme joined, then Rosalie, then Emmett, then Jasper and Alice, after them Bella and his daughter. He had more reason of leaving, while she didn't. She finally had everything she's ever wanted.

Ava placed her hand on Esme's where her hand was placed on the bump, feeling Baby moving slightly. "Don't worry. I'm glad you have more dreams than nightmares."

**~.~.~**

_Two Months Later_

The thought of her leaving plagued her mind. There were no real pros to her leaving, only the one big con; she'd be alone again. Being used to being alone, she found it difficult for her to adjust to being in this family. Sure, they were everything she's ever wanted, but sometimes she didn't feel good enough.

Esme was now in her third trimester, and the whole family was waiting for Baby to arrive. Esme more anxious than everyone else, excited to meet her new baby, excited that she was going to have the chance of being a mother to a baby once more. No matter how many times they had told her to rest, she was resilient. Busying herself with numerous activities and projects that Carlisle had pre-approved for her.

The hospital was holding a fundraiser on Sunday. It was their Summer Festival and Esme had told Carlisle to volunteer herself for the baked goods, seeing as she didn't have the energy to be climbing ladders and hanging up the streamers. So, that Wednesday, Carlisle, Esme, and Ava headed out to Hartford to buy everything they needed.

"Do you guys get paid to attend these things?" Ava asked from the backseat, her hand sticking out the open window admiring her manicure that she got with Rosalie. Rosalie had soon become her favorite sister.

"_Let's go, Ava." Rosalie stood at her door, her purse and keys in hand. _

_Ava looked up from her book that was on her lap as she sat in the middle of the bed, Indian style. "Go where, may I ask?" _

_Rosalie rolled her eyes and walked into her room throwing Ava her bag that was thrown on a chair in a corner of her room. "We're hanging out, you need it. You've been locked in this room since we found out Esme was pregnant. You only go out to hunt or check on Esme. Now, put on your shoes and let's go." Rosalie all but growled as she crossed her arms against her chest, tapping her foot on the hardwood floor. _

_Ava raised an eyebrow a bit shocked at the fact that Rosalie was being so demanding. "What about Alice, Bella, and Ness?" _

"_They're in New Haven, touring Yale. Ness wanted to see the campus before she applies to any of the colleges." Rosalie giggled, at the thought of how excited Nessie was to apply to all these different colleges, knowing well that she was soon going to get bored of repeating high school and her college years all too soon. _

_Ava sighed dramatically and slipped on her white slip ons snatching her bag from the bed. "Fine, but I'm driving."_

Of course, she loved all her sisters and niece, however there was a special bond with Rosalie. Perhaps because they shared some sort of background in abuse, although Rosalie did have an easy childhood, compared to Ava's, but they bonded over the fact that other people hurt them.

Carlisle looked at her from the rearview mirror, as she slid on her sunglasses regardless that it was overcast that day. "We do, but I don't do it for the pay."

"Cause you're rolling in it." Ava scoffed pulling her arm back in, rolling up the window, as the outside slowly became darker. "Does all the family have to go?" She felt like a child asking all these questions.

Carlisle chuckled as he pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket, as he quickly walked over to help Esme out of her seat. "Seeing as it is a family event, yes, it's ideal that all the family goes." He said, holding his arm out for Esme so she could hold on to as they made their way into the store.

Grabbing a cart, Ava leaned on it, following Carlisle and Esme into one of the aisles. "I thought we were only getting cookie stuff." Ava wrinkled her nose, as she saw Esme examine two different brands of pasta.

Esme giggled as she placed a box into the cart, while Carlisle just looked supportive. "I'm also doing some grocery shopping."

Carlisle shook his head kissing his wife's head as she was preparing to bend down to get some pasta sauce, cheating her way out of cooking as much as she can, not being able to stand for much longer. "I'll get it, just point to which one." Carlisle murmured bending down to be eye level with different jars of pasta.

There was giggling coming from behind Ava, turning around to see the source, she saw two girls that looked around her age or maybe younger than her. They were staring at Carlisle. Turning around potentially she saw Esme had wondered off slightly down the aisle, while Carlisle was reading the food label, rolling her eyes slightly, typical that he was doing so in order to give Esme all organic and healthy food choices.

The girls were whispering to each other, it seemed as they were hyping the other one up to go talk to him. Ava smirked and flipped her hair as she caught one of their attention. Pushing the cart, a little further she stopped in front of Carlisle. "Hey dad, why don't you see if mom needs any help?" She asked loud enough for them to hear, turning around slightly to see the girls faces go pale.

Carlisle turned to look at Ava with a happy look, it was the first time she called him dad. He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head as she smirked, knowing that they were watching. "Of course." He said, placing the sauce in the cart.

Ava sauntered happily behind him, as she caught up to them, she burst out laughing. "See, I knew women try to hit on you, but I didn't think that within that group, there'd be a bunch of adolescents in it too."

Esme rolled her eyes, putting two boxes of crackers into the cart, looking quite annoyed. "From girls in middle school to older women as well." Esme huffed holding onto her bump with one hand, and a hand on the small of her back.

Carlisle rubbed her back as they made their way to the baking aisle. "You did have a crush on me when you were sixteen, my love." Carlisle teased as he followed her lead.

Ava studied the way the interacted with each other, a small smile on her lips. She was glad that Baby was going to be born to loving couples.

"Dr. Cullen." She heard a gruff voice coming from behind them. She turned around to find the hospital's chief once more. Rolling her eyes as this was the second time and each time was when she was with Carlisle running errands.

"Ah, Chief Anderson, funny running into you in these situations." He greeted with a tight smile.

"I know, hello Esme. Ava, was it?"

"Yes sir." Ava replied politely.

Esme turned around to face him, and his eyes widened just a bit. "Oh, I didn't know- "Chief Anderson was at loss for words, seeing as she was well into her pregnancy.

"Nice to see you, Chief Anderson." Esme reached out her hand to shake his, as he looked between her bump and Carlisle, while Ava tried to suppress a laugh.

"Didn't know you were uh, having a child of your own. I thought you once said Esme wasn't able to conceive?" He asked, confused.

Carlisle smiled down at his wife as she held onto her bump, with the happiest smile of her own, as she looked lovingly to Ava. "Well, what can I say? We have a miracle baby." He smiled at the older man in front of him, pride written all over his face.

"Well, a congratulations are in order. I'm very happy for the two of you." He said shaking both of their hands, before turning to Ava. "You're going to be a proud aunt soon!"

Ava laughed and nodded. "I sure am, right sister?" Ava played along with their scheme, as she remembered she was supposed to be Esme's younger sister.

The pleasantries were over, as Esme continued to do her shopping for the cookies and cupcakes. "So, sister, how are you going to tell the rest of the hospital staff that Carlisle's offspring is on its way?"

"I am your mother," her voice stern which knocked Ava's smile off her face. "and on Sunday."

**~.~.~**

Rosalie, Ava, Alice, Bella, and Nessie spent all of Saturday night baking the cookies and cupcakes multiple times, seeing as the first couple of their batches had been burnt or they were just no good per Esme and Nessie. It was now Sunday early morning, Nessie and Ava were left frosting cupcakes while Rosalie and Bella were packing the cookies into trays.

"How have you been feeling?" Nessie said under her breath, as she scooped more frosting into her piping bag.

Ava shrugged spreading white frosting on a couple more cupcakes, passing them off to each Nessie. "I've been okay, I guess. I really don't want to go."

"It'll be fine, I don't like going either. If you want, we can just go for a couple of hours and head back."

"Sounds like a plan, Renesmee Cullen." Ava sighed wiping her hand on the towel next to her as she grabbed containers for the cupcakes.

Esme and Carlisle had left an hour before the rest of them did, as they packed the car, they drove off to the hospital.

"Emmett, I swear I will call the cops on you!" Ava sneered as he stepped on the gas of his jeep. "Who let him drive?" Ava cried out, as she sat in the back seat, Rose in the front, as she sat in between Alice and Jasper, watching the road in front of her as he swerved around the cars on the high way.

"Do you want to get there on time, Zellie?"

"I really don't care, now stop before you hurt someone."

"Everyone will be fine." He waved off, cutting a car off in front of him as he drove off.

Ava was the last one to get off the car once they arrived to the event. They had carried most of the goods to the event. Slowly getting off the car, she noticed how it was decorated. It was summer themed off course, so it was themed as a luau, the idea was cute, a little basic but it was cute.

Ava carried the last tray towards the table, taking off the cling wrap from the tray and walking to find her siblings sitting down in the corner. Taking a seat, she sighed as she watched Esme and Carlisle mingle with the other guests. A couple of nurses or doctors touching her belly, while Carlisle's peers were congratulating him, clapping him on the back.

"Be prepared of this for the next couple of hours." Edward sighed leaning back into his chair, as he read Ava's thoughts of complete boredom.

"I'd rather be having my limbs pulled apart multiple times." Ava groaned, toying around with the center piece in front of her.

"I brought a couple of card games, if you guys want to play." Emmett whispered loudly as he pulled a couple of card packets out of Rosalie's purse.

"Count me in."

Two hours have gone by, and they've played a couple of rounds of the different card games that Emmett brought over and played some of the games that the staff had arranged for the family.

They were in the middle of playing dodgeball, all of them watching their strength to not knock out the other teenaged humans playing the game. However, there was a ball flying past Ava' face, she heard the ball hitting a face, and a nose cracking. Emmett and Edward were soon by her head, discreetly pulling her outside as much as they could.

Flashbacks of last time came rushing through her mind. This time, she tried to control herself, hoping not to bring too much attention to herself. They were near the car, when she heard Esme calling after her.

"Wait!" She cried as she walked to them as fast as she could, her belly impeding in her running towards her daughter. "Let me go with her, I need to be with her."

"Okay fine, hurry." Edward mumbled, handing Ava off to Emmett as he shoved her in the back, holding onto her.

She needed to feed. She needed blood.

Edward helped Esme onto the passenger seat as she leaned back, holding onto her stomach. She looked over to the back, feeling a pain shooting up her spine. She tried to ignore it, trying not to wince. They've been ongoing throughout the morning, but she ignored them to the best of her abilities.

Baby was coming, and Ava was in a frenzy.

**Baby is coming! That means only a few more chapters, however I will be writing the tie-in soon, so keep an eye out, which again will go into further detail of the pregnancy. **

**Will Ava be able to control herself this time? **


	13. Baby Cullen's

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

* * *

**~.~.~**

_Baby was coming_

"Emmett I'm fine! Let me go!" Ava growled, as Emmett held her down by her wrists, thrashing a bit.

Yet, she knew she wasn't fine. It's been almost a year since her near slip up, she was doing fine before that kids nose broke and started bleeding. There were times where she would go with Esme to the hospital and visit Carlisle or drop whatever he forgot at home; it was just an excuse to see Carlisle on Esme's part. Being around so much blood had little to no effect on her.

However, she didn't know what happened today. Perhaps she was already on the edge that this was her final blow.

Esme's face scrunched up as she felt another pain going up her back.

_Baby is coming. _

Edward looked at her, his mouth agape. He stepped on the gas pedal although being careful not to hurt her. He kept turning to look at her, while she held on to her stomach.

He got to the city limits, bordering the line where the town meets the forest. He had to take Esme home now and prep her meanwhile Carlisle gets there.

"Edward." Esme groaned, the contractions getting closer and closer as each one passes by.

Ava caught on; she knew her mom was in labor. Esme didn't need to tell her that she was going to deliver her new sibling. As she saw that they were in the forest, she used all her force to push Emmett off of her, swinging the door open and jumped.

"Ava!" Was all she heard from all three of them, before she ran.

She ran and she ran. Letting the wind hit her face as she choked back sobs that were preparing to leave her body. There were footsteps behind her heavy, as they tried to catch up to her, she knew it wasn't Edward, otherwise she would've been tackled to the floor right now.

"Ava, wait! There's animals up ahead!" Emmett boomed behind her, as she shook her head, her hair whipping her face.

Jumping over logs and risen tree roots, she caught a whiff of a hiker. In the middle of a bloodlust frenzy, there had to be a hiker out there. She groaned as she followed the scent of the hiker, as Emmett kept calling her name.

**~.~.~**

"We're almost home!" Edward assured Esme, as he sped through the dirt road leading to their home. Esme held onto her stomach with both hands closing her eyes shut.

"Where's Carlisle?" Esme cried out in pain, opening her eyes briefly to look at Edward, his eyes clenching the steering wheel, she was scared he might break it.

"He said he's on his way, as soon as he's out of the towns limits, he's going to run the rest of the way home, it's faster that way."

Esme nodded and blew air out in pain. "Hang on, Baby. Please hang on, Baby. Wait for daddy." Esme chanted. It comforted her in a way, but she knew that it wasn't going to help out in any way. Baby was coming, and Baby was not going to wait at all.

The drive to the house was an eternity for Esme, trying to hold on for as long as she could. "Edward please, hurry up! Baby isn't waiting any longer!"

"We're here, we're here." He repeated, stopping the car in front of their door, hurrying to her door, and gently helping her out of the car. "Carlisle's here. He's here. Baby is going to be fine." Scooping her up as best as he could, he ran her inside.

"Carlisle!" He called standing in the foyer, setting Esme down on her own feet.

Carlisle ran to Esme's side, helping her stand up straight as she tried to keel over in pain. "Esme, love everything is going to be fine." He cooed, walking her down to one of the spare rooms that he set up for her weeks prior, in anticipation of the birth.

"Get Baby out, now!" Esme growled, laying down on the bed that he had set up in the room. Leaning on the pillows she groaned, Carlisle pulling her bottoms off. He placed her legs in the position that they needed to be, slightly opening them so he could get a good look in there. "Oh, I'm never sleeping with you again, Carlisle Cullen!"

"Sweetheart, you're ten centimeters dilated already. It's time to push." He said coming up after examining her.

Esme threw her head back onto the pillows, opening her eyes to see Edward walking into the room as he rushed to her side. "Esme, you're going to be fine." He cooed, taking her hand wincing in pain as she squeezed his hand as tight as she could possibly do it.

"Ava, I need to know where Ava is." Esme panted out.

"Love, you need to start pushing."

**~.~.~**

"Ava Hazel Cullen!" Emmett yelled after her, as he too got a whiff of the scent of the hiker. It was a sweet smell. He groaned as he was hot on Ava's tail.

She was determined, and what she needed was to have that sweet, sweet blood running down her throat. Stopping mid run, she saw the hiker perched on a rock, drinking water as she ran a hand over her forehead. It was humid out, and she smelt the blood seeping through her pores. If she was careful enough, she could pounce on her and make sure to dispose of the body, making the murder seem like a bear attack or some other ravenous animal.

Crouching down like she would if she were to attack an animal, she watched her closely. The human took off her hiking boot to find a huge blister on her foot, a few drops of blood making an appearance on the foot.

Great, that's what she needed.

She was about to leap forward, when she felt arms wrapping around her waist and they tumbled down and away from Ava's prey.

"What the hell?" Ava screeched, Emmett pinning her to the floor, his legs on either side of her body, her wrists being pinned down to the sides of her body.

"If you attack now, you won't be able to forgive yourself. You think Alice didn't see it coming?" Emmett retorted, hearing the human walking away and continuing her hike.

Ava glared at him and thrashed around hoping to free herself from his hold. "What did that little pixie see?"

Emmett sighed, softening his hold on her slightly. "That after you drained that girls' body clean, you were going to take off. Esme was going to succumb into a depression and that won't benefit her or Baby." His voice tough and stern, as he stared at dead in the eyes, her eyes black and hard.

Ava's eyes lowered a bit. Of course, Alice would see it coming, all this time she was trying to block her thoughts from Edward, she didn't think that Alice would see when she made up her mind. "What the hell were you thinking, Ava?! Are we not good enough for you, is that it? What else do you need? You have your mother. Carlisle and Esme adopted you, god damnit!"

"Carlisle would chastise you for using the lords name in vain." Ava scoffed rolling her eyes, feeling Emmett's body relax on top of hers, all his weight shifting onto her. "Now get off of me."

He did as he was told, but he still held her wrists, keeping her there until she was calm. "Why were you leaving? Were you waiting for an excuse?" He asked, his voice a bit calmer now.

Ava sighed and hung her head. "I thought like I didn't belong, and you guys only wanted me because of my gift."

"Zellie, you swear we only wanted you because of that? Sure, you gave Esme the ultimate gift that none of us can ever top. You, Ava, have been a joy to have around the house. You know, I only drive like a maniac when you're in the car."

"You ass." Ava chuckled nudging his shoulder.

"That's because I enjoy teasing you." Emmett claimed standing up on his feet, holding his hand out for her.

Sighing, Ava took his hand, letting him help her up even though she didn't need it. "Oh my, Baby is being delivered into this world as we speak! Let's go!" Ava gasped quickly remembering that her new sibling was being born into this world.

"Ah, I think it'd be best that we get some blood in you, animal blood may I add." Emmett held her back, refraining her from running away and towards their house.

"Right, right." Ava nodded, following Emmett further into the forest, hoping to find some decent game.

**~.~.~**

"Keep pushing, love." Carlisle soothed, looking up to see Esme shake her head, as Edward placed a couple of ice cubes to her lips.

"I can't do it." Esme cried out in pain. There were two pains she was feeling at the moment. The birthing pains and the fact that she didn't know if her daughter was okay.

Edward sighed and stroked her hair softly. "Ava's fine, Emmett is with her."

Mid scoff, Esme was interrupted when she felt another contraction. She was suppressing her groans and yelps. "Esme, you need to push. A couple more pushes and you're done." Carlisle reminded her as he saw the head begin to come into sight.

"Carlisle, I've been pushing for an hour!"

"A few more pushes, love."

Esme sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. Reminding herself that every push was worth it. She was going to be meeting Baby soon. She couldn't wait until she met her baby, her kids' new sibling. With the last push, she felt like she was going to fall apart. She didn't remember her last birthing to be this hard, yet again, she didn't know she birthed twins at the time.

"Okay, Baby is crowning. Give me a few more pushes." Carlisle mumbled, leaning to kiss Esme's knees trying to comfort and encourage her as much to his abilities.

Esme tried to push her hardest, but she felt utterly weak. She couldn't do it anymore. "Carlisle, I can't." Esme sobbed, sitting up higher up.

Carlisle sighed seeing the head, his baby's beautiful head in plain sight. "Honey give me a few more pushes and Baby will be here. Baby will be all yours."

Esme nodded and obeyed his orders. There were a couple more pushes coming from her end, plenty of words of encouragement coming from both Carlisle and Edward. All that was on her mind, was this baby and her grown up vampire baby. That was all that she was thinking about.

Suddenly, she felt Baby leave her body. She fell back onto the pillows, sighing in relief. The sound of Baby crying and nippers cutting the umbilical cord. "I need Baby." Esme breathed out, running a hand over her face. She needed to feel her baby.

Edward was cleaning Baby off, when she felt another contraction. "Carlisle, I thought the second heart was her heart." Edward asked, concern in his voice, clearly having a one-sided conversation with Carlisle.

"Carlisle?" Esme panted, feeling herself unwillingly push more.

"Seems like we were blessed double. Okay, I need you to push again. Baby number two is crowning, and now you need to push. Push!" Carlisle instructed, bracing himself to deliver their second baby. He wasn't blessed with just one, but two babies.

"You lied to me!" Esme groaned while she was pushing. Fighting harder this time, knowing that she was going to have another baby.

She had a feeling there was going to be two babies. The constant eating, her feeling the way she felt when she was pregnant with her first set of twins. It amazed her that she was blessed twice to have twins, she was blessed to have been given the opportunity to love both babies with all her might.

A second cry filled the room, Esme let out a small laugh, looking down to see Carlisle cutting the cord once more, and wrapping her baby up in a blanket. "My babies, I want my babies." Esme whispered, holding her arms out for her babies.

Edward was quickly by her side, sitting down on the edge with a small bundle in his arms. "Esme, meet Adeline. Adeline Jade Cullen" Edward smiled down at the tiny little baby bundled in his arms. Carlisle really liked the name Jade, so they compromised and decided if Baby was a girl, that she'd be Adeline Jade.

Esme gasped looking down at her baby, she smiled when she saw that she had Carlisle's blonde hair, it was short and sparse, but the blonde hairs were prominent. "Oh, my beautiful baby girl." Esme cooed, stroking her small face with her finger. Her small little face scrunching up slightly.

Carlisle smiled down at the other bundle in his arms after cleaning the second baby up. It was their baby boy. Nicolas William Cullen. He was beautiful, he noticed that he had small little dimples gracing his small face when he pursed his lips, his hair had the same colored hair as Esme and Ava.

They definitely made beautiful babies. "I'll leave you two alone." Edward smiled at the two new proud parents before exiting the room.

"We did it." Esme smiled, not looking up from the baby in her arms. Her baby finally had a name. Correction, her babies finally had names other than just naming them Baby. "Let me see my other baby." Esme called over for her husband who was standing at the edge of the bed, beaming down at the baby in his arms.

Carlisle looked up and gave her the biggest grin that has ever graced his face. "Love, meet Nicolas William Cullen." He whispered placing him in her other arm taking Adeline from her arms.

"Oh, he looks like my baby." Esme sobbed, with a smile on her face. Nicolas indeed did look like her first baby boy, he had their hair, their dimples, and their same facial structure from what she could tell so far. "My baby." She cooed, kissing the top of his little head, feeling his hair grazing her lips.

"He's absolutely beautiful, darling. Just like his mommy." She felt Carlisle take a seat next to Esme, being careful not to jostle her too much and not to wake the sleeping babies in his arms. "I love you." He looked over to his wife as she looked over to him.

"I love you too, so much." Esme gave him a kiss, both of them smiling into it. "Thank you, for letting me have these babies." Esme sighed lovingly, in love with her two babies and her husband.

There was a commotion coming from outside the door, she assumed the rest of their kids had volunteered to stay in order to clean up and take Carlisle's spot. So, it had to be Ava and Emmett.

"Where is she?" She heard Ava's voice come from down the hall.

"Go clean up first." Edward commented with an annoyed voice, before she heard two pairs of feet going up the stairs.

Esme chuckled looking down at the baby in her arms, still in awe that she pushed out two little tiny babies. Nicolas started to fuss, and Carlisle chuckled. "Baby Nico is hungry I believe."

"You gave him a nickname already?" Esme raised an eyebrow; not all too made at the nickname he had given her baby.

"Yup, Nicolas is Baby Nico and Adeline here is Princess Addy or Princess Jade." He cooed, looking down at his baby girl with loving eyes.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger already." Esme scoffed, putting her finger around Nicolas's mouth as he opened it. "He is hungry. Do you think…" She trailed off looking at Carlisle with curious eyes.

His eyes trailed down to her chest, noticing a few months back that they were engorged more than they already were. "Your body is catering to the babies, I'm sure it'll work."

Esme nodded and placed Nicolas on her lap to lift up her shirt over her head and remove her bra. "Okay, baby it's dinner time." Esme sang in a soft voice bringing the baby up to her chest. It took him a while to latch on, but once he did, he suckled on to dear life. "Oh, you were hungry." She giggled softly.

There was a knock at the door and Ava pushed the door open, dressed completely different than she was in the fundraiser. Her eyes quickly fell on the two small babies that were wrapped in the blankets. "Twins?" Ava whispered shocked walking over to Carlisle's side, peeping over to get a better look.

Carlisle nodded and motioned for Ava to sit next to him as he scooted closer to Esme, as she was breastfeeding their son. "Meet Adeline and Nicolas."

"A boy and girl? Hand me Adeline I want to meet my baby sister." Ava exclaimed excitedly, looking down at the baby girl in Carlisle's arms.

He handed baby Adeline to her older sister.

Ava looked down at the baby and smiled down at her baby sister. She had helped create the beautiful baby somehow. "Hi baby Adeline. I'm your older sister, your favorite older sister. Really, we shared the same environment even if it was ninety-eight years apart, but our momma is the best momma. Your daddy, don't get me started on your daddy." Ava whispered, running her finger up and down the babies face, looking up to smile at Carlisle. "He's one of the best men out there. You and baby Nicolas are so lucky to be born to these two amazing parents."

Carlisle beamed at his two daughters, Ava's hair in a high pony tail. He examined her, her face was soft and imagined if that is how their babies were going to grow up to look like, like their older sister Ava.

"I think she looks like Carlisle." Ava teased still smiling down at the baby. "Poor baby."

"Hey, she's going to be a breath taker." He defended his daughter, which caused Ava to burst out laughing, a little too loudly for their liking.

"Oh, that's why. You'll chase away all the boys away. Or girls, whoever Adeline likes." Ava shrugged.

Esme smiled at the pair bonding, happy that they were getting closer by the second. "Are you feeling better, honey?" Esme whispered, looking down as Nicolas pulled away, full. "Want to hold Nicolas?" She asked offering her brother to Ava. Ava nodded eagerly, as Carlisle took Adeline from her arms.

As Esme placed Nicolas in Ava's arm, and Ava's face softened. "He looks more like a William, he's baby William to me now." She murmured, staring at his face. There was something about his little face that made her fall in love instantly. She knew that he looked like her twin, even if she never met him or saw his face, however she knew that he was her twin. "I'm better now."


	14. Cariño

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

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**~.~.~.**

Esme had fallen asleep, tired out from giving birth and after Carlisle had examined her thoroughly and given her a few stitches after she tore a little bit. Ava had already dressed the babies into their own clothes, they had on matching beanies that covered their little hair.

Ava was rocking William in her arms. He and Adeline had opened their little eyes a couple minutes after birth, excited and intrigued with the world around them. It was amazing that both babies looked so much like one parent. William looked like Ava and Esme the most while Adeline was all Carlisle and a bit of Esme. She turned to look at her sleeping mother and smiled, as she saw Esme put her hand over her belly out of instinct.

"Oh William, you're the most beautiful baby boy I've ever seen." Ava cooed as his little eyes opened slowly, his eyes a dark hazy grey. "You know, we had a brother who I'm assuming looked like you, but perhaps a bit different as we have different fathers. We have six siblings and one niece; we're a big family and we all love you and Adeline so much already." Ava sighed, smiling down at her baby brother.

Carlisle walked into the room carrying a sleeping Adeline in his arms. "The brady brunch is here." Carlisle smiled, looking over at his sleeping wife. "Eleazar said that it'd be normal for her to still have some of the traits after babies are born." He sounded convinced, even though he was trying to convince himself more than anything.

Ava nodded and motioned for them to switch babies. "So, Adeline is going to be a daddy's princess, huh?" Ava smirked as she watched how he kissed her forehead, his lips lingering slightly before he handed her off.

"Of course, she is, she's perfect."

"Ouch." Ava said quite dryly, even though she was joking. "Let me take AJ out to her siblings before they disturb the peace in here." Ava whispered, adjusting Adeline to cradle her closer to her body, while reaching to open the door in front of her.

"Ava?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you, thank you so much. You know I love you." Carlisle's voice soft; he looked up from William slightly, giving her a heartwarming smile.

Ava was only able to smile back before ducking out to greet the rest of the family. It was the first time he's ever told her that, and she's never felt more validated in her life.

**~.~.~**

Ava walked down the hallway with Adeline in her arms and walked in to Nessie on Emmett's back trying to get the phone from his hands, Alice and Rosalie going through baby clothes from numerous bags, Edward and Bella were assembling another crib in the living room, while Jasper was reading them the instructions.

"Why do these cribs have to be so complicated?" Edward groaned screwing in the wheels at the bottom of the crib.

"Esme wants the best for her babies." Bella shrugged taking another part from the box that was next to her.

Ava cleared her throat, as she gently swung the baby in her arms. "_Famille, _I'd like to introduce to you Adeline." Ava introduced proudly to the rest of her siblings.

Alice and Rosalie quickly rushed to her sides, as they admired the now awake Adeline. "Oh, she's precious, just like I saw her!" Alice cooed proudly, knowing that her vision was correct.

"She's perfect! Where's the other baby?" Rosalie asked, quickly taking Adeline from Ava's arms, and cradling her. "She's so tiny, nothing like Renesmee." Rosalie said in awe, clearly taken by her new sister.

Ava smiled down at the baby in Rosalie's arms and looked to see Carlisle rounding the corner with the other twin in his arms. "He's right here, Nicolas or William, or Nico." Carlisle babbled one, his finger clasped in the babies lose grip.

"Wow, Esme really does make perfect looking babies." Bella peered over Carlisle's shoulder, which made Ava beam happily.

**~.~.~**

Esme slowly eased herself off the bed, afraid of feeling any sort of pain, but surprised that she was feeling fine. Physically, she felt sore but mentally she felt tired. She looked over to the other side where her babies once were, and seeing them gone, she freaked out. She was glad that Carlisle had helped her ease into leggings and a long sleeve because she about just ran outside the door.

Running out to the family room, she saw only Edward and Bella sitting down by the piano.

"They're upstairs." Edward murmured without looking up from the keys of the piano.

Esme nodded and proceeded to ascend the stairs, taking one at a time trying to be careful.

Walking up to the nursery that they all had put together, she smiled when she saw that Carlisle had both babies quite effortlessly on each arm, sitting down in the rocking chair that the kids had gifted her.

Esme walked in slowly admiring the little group in front of her. "They look a little bigger than when they first came popped out of me." Esme tried to joke, as she looked at her babies. They were absolutely perfect in her eyes.

"They look a couple days old, not too drastic like Renesmee, but they're doing perfectly fine darling." Carlisle assured her, offering one of the babies to her. She quickly took Adeline in her arms, pulling down the blanket that was covering half of her little face. Her little plump baby lips formed into the tiniest smile she has seen. "Adeline looks like you." Esme stated content.

Carlisle nodded, admiring his son. "Yeah, I guess AJ does."

"AJ?"

"Ava gave her the nickname, it stuck." Carlisle shrugged, placing a pacifier in William's lips as he suckled on it eagerly.

Esme shook her head as she looked out the window to see Ava and the rest of her kids outside the summer sun shining down on them as they all as a family tended to Esme's flower beds, while the others brought down a couple of branches to make another swing for their other sibling. She imagined how when her babies were older, they could probably help out her in her garden or have them sitting in Carlisle's study reading their own books or perhaps Carlisle helping them out with their homework.

Adeline stirred a little bit in her arms, whimpering a bit and Esme quickly shushed her and bounced her a bit until Adeline fell back asleep. "Angel?" Carlisle asked as he stood up from his seat, walking towards Esme from her spot in the window.

Esme hummed in response unwrapping AJ from her tight swaddle, to look at the outfit that she was wearing. It was the onesie with foxes on them.

"Do you think we should check on Ava?" Carlisle asked, as he looked out the window to see Ava trimming the leaves that surrounded the arches with the fairy lights.

"Why do you say that?" Esme's brow furrowed, turning to look at Carlisle and then back outside to look at Ava.

With a sigh he placed William in his crib, tightening the swaddle he had done, they had the air conditioner on, so he didn't worry much about him sweating while he slept. "Alice told me she saw her running off." Carlisle admitted; watching as his wife's fell and it looked like she was about to cry.

"Why?" Esme managed to whisper swallowing a lump in her throat. Hugging Adeline closer to her body, careful not to hurt the baby. Her babies rarely cried; she was partly proud that they didn't cry all that much during their short hours of life.

"She said that she saw her draining a body in the woods and running off, perhaps because she was ashamed?"

"We could've helped her, Carlisle. Truly, we could have. What does Alice see now?" Esme was afraid to ask the question, not just for Ava but for the future of her babies.

Carlisle smiled softly and kissed her head as he remembered the conversation, he had with Alice a couple hours prior.

"_I can see the babies turning eighteen both of them beautiful, oh Carlisle you should see them! AJ and William are heartbreakers! As far as I can see, they'll be with us for a long time." Alice confirmed, patting Carlisle's knee in comfort. _

"_Do you think the Volturi will find them?" Carlisle asked taking in a shaky breath, they barely made it out alive with Nessie. Albeit, they haven't been bothered since, but what if they find out about his children? He wanted them safe. _

_Alice shook her head with a tight smile. "I'll keep an eye out if anything changes, but I don't think that they will find out about these little beauties." Alice kissed the baby that was in Carlisle's arm before prancing out of the room. _

"Our children will be with us for a long time." Carlisle assured her, taking the baby from her arms before walking the baby to the other crib to let her rest.

Esme sighed and nodded, forcing herself to walk out of the room, not wanting to leave them for more than a second. "Should we talk to Ava?"

"I believe we should."

**~.~.~**

Ava was taken to her new siblings quite rapidly, as she bonded with her siblings within the couple hours that Esme was sleeping. AJ reminded her of the perfect combination between Carlisle and Esme, she had Carlisle's blonde hair, his facial structure. Adeline had Esme's big doe eyes that she shared with Ava and William, she also had Esme's dimples that made an appearance when she yawned or smiled. While William was all Esme. The hair, the face, everything. Perhaps he was Esme's first son coming back to her after all these years. It amazed her really, how much he looked like Esme. While most of the family told her she looked like Esme, she knew she had some of her fathers features. Esme's traits overpowered slightly, but they were still there.

Ava had just walked out of her room, closing the door behind her. She was dressed in a flowy floral dress with sandals on her feet, her hair pulled into a low messy bun. It was a couple weeks since the babies had been born, and everyone was being doting siblings and cousin, while the parents were just as loving if not even more.

Ava had her sketchpad and pencils in hand as she walked outside to her usual spot. Summer time was always her favorite time of the year. There was something about summer that had a different feeling in the air, the afternoons were crisp and fresh. The mornings and nights had the same feel to it. So, she always dressed accordingly; a way to feel normal.

Sitting down on one of the swings, she moved her legs slightly to swing herself as she sharpened her pencils with her sketchpad on her lap. Letting the light breeze hit her face, she looked up to see Esme coming out with AJ in her arms, dressed for the weather as well.

Esme and Ava smiled at each other in greeting, as Ava looked down to see a cooing Adeline, as she looked up at the trees in awe and wonder at the world above her. "How are the babies today?" Ava asked, studying Adeline's face slightly, as she began to sketch.

Esme smiled and sat down next to the swing, spreading her legs in front of her, laying Adeline on her lap. "They're doing perfect, Carlisle has William with him in his study, checking him before he brings him out." Esme informed Ava as she heard the pencil going hard on the sketch that Ava was drawing.

"William is too long of a name for such a cute and cuddly baby, and Nicolas is too much for a baby. Can I nickname his Iam?" Ava asked abruptly, stopping her sketches; checking her phone for the time.

Esme pondered the thought of giving her baby a completely different name rather his two given names. "I like Iam. It's cute. Fitting for a cute and cuddly baby."

"Are you going to parade them around at the hospital soon?" Ava mumbled, looking down at AJ's little face hoping to catch a glimpse of her dimples.

Esme shook her head and sighed as she took of AJ's socks and watched them wiggle free. "No, not anytime soon. Everyone is over the moon that we have children of our own now."

"Now." Ava repeated with a scoff, and a slight eyeroll.

"Ava, what's wrong?"

Ava shook her head, shutting her sketchpad and lightly tossing it to the side. "I really don't like pretending I'm your sister. I understand that it'd set off some alarms, but it feels like I'm a bit out of place now that the babies are here. I've been feeling like that for a while." Ava shrugged, swinging herself a little harder on the swing.

With a sigh, Esme reached up to hold Ava's hand trying to ease her. "We can say that I had you at the age of fifteen darling. Also, I'm really sorry that you feel that way. We never wanted you to feel left out."

"I know you didn't; but I do feel this way." Ava shrugged. "I love the babies and all, but is it bad to say that I wanted to be selfish and have you for myself for a while longer?"

Esme shook her head and watched Carlisle pace back and forth in front of the window with her son in his arms, as she read his lips. He was going on about his family. "I want you to myself Ava, but, I'm so lucky I found you and got to know you. I'm proud of you, my love. You're an amazing and remarkable young woman, and I'm proud that you are my daughter."

Ava smiled softly with a sigh. "Is Carlisle proud of me?"

"Of course, he is. Ava, he thinks of you as his daughter as much as Adeline and William, and as much as our other kids."

Ava nodded and slid off the slide to sit next to Esme and her sister, reaching her arms out to have her turn with her new sister. "Ava, I know."

"You know?"

"I do. Carlisle told me. Alice had told him—"

Ava rolled her eyes, putting her index finger on AJ's palm, as she watched her little fingers wrap around her finger, while she cooed as she looked up at her older sister. "Of course. She can't keep anything to herself."

"She doesn't. However, she has our best interest in mind. Ava, why did you think it was best to run off?"

Ava shrugged as she watched Carlisle walk out with another bundle in his arms. "Nothing you did could have made us not want you anymore?" Carlisle added, knowing well what they were talking about.

"Maybe, because I thought that you guys weren't going to miss me much now that you guys were expecting these two beauties. Also, that I wasn't in your life for much. I also felt like you guys only wanted me for your own personal gain." Ava admitted all in one breath.

Esme's face contorted as she fumbled with her fingers, picking her nails while Carlisle sighed and shook his hand, unwrapping William from his blanket, to let him soak up some of the fresh air. "Darling, you really think that we weren't going to miss you? Ava, you have changed our lives in so many different ways." Carlisle's accent slipping just a tad, which caused Ava to smile. She liked when it made an appearance, it made his voice more soothing and it made her feel at ease, safe.

Esme nodded, as she saw the wind playing with all of their hair. She instinctively reached over to bring down the baby's beanies. "You've impacted our lives so much, honey. We love you so much."

"I love you guys too, and I love these little nuggets." Ava laughed, gently wiggling her little sister hands. "I love this family."

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**They found out what Ava was thinking and planning, she got it out of her chest.**

**It's a bit shorter, but really I feel like the length is just perfect for the chapter. **

**Thank you all for the support this story has gotten within its course. Thank you to all my reviewers, all your input has been incorporated somehow and I'm truly thankful. **


	15. Love is Patient, Love is Kind

**Disclaimer: Stephenie is the rightful owner of Twilight.**

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**~.~.~**

"_Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children." – Proverbs 17:6_

**~.~.~**

The babies have been in their lives for a year and what a joy they were. Both of them were already walking and talking just a bit. Carlisle had taken two months leave to help out with the children, AJ has been the wild and adventurous twin while Iam, he was more reserved and shyer. He only liked to be held by Esme, Carlisle, Rose and Ava.

"_Okay, my sweeties, it's lunch time." Esme said putting her two eight-month-old twins in their respective high chairs. Esme had put AJ's hair into a ponytail on the top of her hair that looked like a blonde little sprout, so she put a pink bow on it. Grabbing the bowls with the steamed peas and other soft veggies, she tried to feed it to AJ and Iam. Iam let himself a lot more than AJ, Esme had to practically shove the spoon into her mouth. _

They were planning on leaving the state in a couple of weeks, they've been in Connecticut for several years now, so it was time they moved. Ava had decided to go back to school when they moved to their new home. Ava had gone with Esme to go check on the new house in New York, and it was beautiful. There was a big empty lot beside their house that they could create a playground for the twins where they could play freely when the sun was beating down on them without fear of anyone else seeing the vampires in the family.

While Esme and Ava were in New York checking on the house, she got a call from Carlisle telling her that the twins had both come down with the stomach flu.

_Ava and Esme had just gotten to the hardware store in New York to buy paints that they needed for the parts of the house that needed a fresh coat of paint when she got the phone call. Esme was pushing the cart towards the paint aisle as her phone rang. "Hello?"_

"_Hi Esme." Carlisle's voice on the other end sounded relaxed but she heard the faint cries of AJ and Iam in the background. _

"_Carlisle, why are they crying?" Esme asked beginning to worry, it wasn't their annoyed cry or their cry that wants attention, but the cry that tells her that something hurts them. Ava heard the worry in her voice and took the cart from her, as she began to freak out a bit. "What's wrong with my babies?" _

_She heard Carlisle sigh, as their cries began to diminish. "They came down with the stomach flu, they have a mild fever but they're fine. I got it under control, just thought I'd let you know." Carlisle reassured his wife on the other line. _

_Esme took in a shaky breath as she nodded, turning her head to see Ava inspecting paint swatches with different shades of white and beige. "Okay, we'll be there as soon as we can. Kiss them for me." Esme breathed into the phone taking the paint swatches that Ava was looking at. _

"_I love you, darling."_

"_Not as much as I, my love." Esme smiled before hanging up the phone. _

"Okay, I have the cupcakes and cakes for the twins, I don't understand why we need so much food if it's two infants and one hybrid who could honestly eat food." Ava walked in from the garage down stairs, carrying two small cake boxes in one hand with another longer box that held a dozen cupcakes.

Esme came out of the kitchen taking the cakes from Ava's hands rushing them to the table to inspect them. "They're perfect!" She approved, clasping her hands together in happiness. "Oh, they're first birthday."

"Okay, don't get so emotional. They'll have plenty of birthdays to come."

"We haven't decided what we're going to do." Esme whispered, closing the lids to the cakes, tucking a few strands of her straightened hair behind her ear.

Ava sat down the cupcakes on the table, taking them from the packaging and placing them on the tray on the table. There was a low whimper coming from upstairs, probably one of the twins waking up from their nap. "Well, you guys are leaving it up to them, no?"

"Yes, but what if they _do _want this lifestyle? I mean I can't oblige them to this lifestyle, sure they'll be with us forever, but I still want to them to experience the world as freely as they can."

"When the time comes, the time will come." Ava assured, looking through the bags with the decorations. It consisted of fairy lights with pastel pink and pastel blue streamers and decorations, with a few baby foxes and a couple baby elephants. They had found that Iam really liked elephants after Esme read him the book _Always _by Emma Dodd and after watching Tarzan mostly because of Tantor the elephant.

"_Sometimes you're happy. Sometimes your sad." Esme said in a soft voice as she read the book to Iam while he sat on her lap. AJ had fallen asleep effortlessly after Ava had given her a bath, but Iam refused to go to bed. _

_His little pudgy hands were all over the page, while blew raspberries and kicking his little feet at the happy sight of the grey illustrations of the baby elephant. He has heard her, and Carlisle repeat the word Elephant plenty of times around him. "Ph-ph" He babbled on, ignoring the story being read to him._

_Esme quickly noticed and smiled as she realized that he was going to say the word elephant. He had already started saying a variation of mom and dad. "Elephant. Say it with me now, baby. Elephant." She annunciated on the word elephant. _

"_Ph-ph-phant." Was all he managed to say, and Esme closed the book happily showering him in kisses. _

The twins were dressed in their best clothes for their small gathering, for their small first birthday party. Ava lugged around a camera that she had bought that was the same as the one Eleazar and Carmen had used when they did their first family photoshoot.

Everyone was dressed nice, but not super flashy. They all agreed on wearing pastel colors to match the theme of the party. It truly was their first, first birthday that they ever celebrated, and everyone was over the moon excited to be able to celebrate it.

The table they had set outside was overflowing with gifts that she's sure the twins would only wear a handful of times before they were donated to the local shelter, church, or thrift stores.

"Okay! I need AJ and Iam to cut the cake so I can take pictures before I lose the lighting." Ava huffed, as she watched the Denali's fuss over the twins.

"Yes, okay let's go!" Esme announced taking AJ in her arms, fixing the dress that AJ was wearing and sitting down in front of the pink cake while Carlisle took Iam in his and sat down in front of the blue small cake.

Alice quickly turned on the candle that she had set up right in the center of the cakes, blowing on the match with a huge grin on her face. They all sang happy birthday to the twins, as the doting parents slightly bounced them on their knees, owning grins on their faces.

The cake was quickly destroyed by AJ as she squealed with delight covering her hands with pink frosting with a couple of chocolate and vanilla crumbs stuck on the icing. She reached and shoveled a couple of handfuls into her small mouth while Esme watched surprised but at the same time not. Carlisle otherwise grabbed a little icing from Iams cake and placed it on his nose and mouth, catching him off guard and making the infant cry.

**~.~.~**

"Have them open my gift first!" Alice squealed picking up the matching bags that were on the table and handed them to Esme and Carlisle as they each held a child on their laps. As they, received the gifts Esme held back a chuckle and shook her head. It was matching Gucci outfits, of course it would be Alice.

The twins received a water table from Emmett, who was amused by the unamused looks from Esme and Carlisle knowing that he was going to make a mess along with the twins. Bella and Edward got them little indoor trampolines with a bar, Rosalie gifted them remote controlled cars, the Denali's gave them a scrapbook they had created over the months with a whole wardrobe that catered to different seasons and Ava gave them a couple of clothes with a double-sided easel.

"Thought they'd probably take from their mommy and older and favorite sister!" Ava exclaimed in a matter of fact tone.

Emmett scoffed and pushed Ava's head which quickly made her lose her smile. "I'm their favorite sibling, think again, Zellie!"

"Oh please, I'm their favorite. Live with it."

Esme and Carlisle shared a look, with a small smile on their face. "We have a gift as well." Esme pulled a small bag from behind her back and pulled out three jewelry boxes from within the bag. "The gifts may be for the twins once they're a little older, but we have another one that is suitable for another special someone." Esme handed Ava the longer velvet box in her hands.

"It's not my birthday." Ava whispered, looking at the velvet case in her hands. She turned it shaking it slightly, wondering what is inside.

"Well, it may not be your birthday, but it did take a while to make. Esme and I couldn't agree on a specific style, but we finally did so that's why it took so long." Carlisle gave Ava a comforting smile, encouraging her to open it despite his hand being gnawed on by Iam.

Ava looked around and nodded, slowly opening the lid and gasped at the piece of jewelry in it. It was a layered necklace, the top one had small dainty diamonds that resembled the stars when she moved it around under the lights, the second layer was a small dainty golden cross that looked like Carlisle's, and the final layer had the Cullen crest on it, small to match the size of the other pendant and to compliment the diamonds in the first layer, along with a heart.

"_I'm here to pick up AJ so mom can give her a bath." Ava announced from the open door that led to Carlisle's office. Carlisle looked up from his hold on AJ who was covered in pasta sauce which made her laugh at the sight of pasta sauce covering AJ's head. "Oh, Adeline. You're supposed to wear eat your pasta not wear it."_

_Carlisle chuckled and kissed her blonde hair before passing her to Ava. Ava noticed he was polishing the cross he normally wears around his neck. She smiled, noticing the red smudges on it, knowing that Adeline had gotten her hands on it. "Ever since I joined this family, I've actually known what faith is."_

"_Really?" Carlisle asked, excited to hear her say that. _

_Ava nodded and shifted the infant on her hip as AJ tried to grab at her hair. "Yeah, I prayed so many times that I would have a family, and right when I was losing hope, God answered my prayers. So, I do believe there is a God and perhaps he does care for us." Ava said softly, pulling her hair to the side so AJ wouldn't tug on it. For an infant, the child was strong. _

"_I'm glad to hear that, darling. I really am." He smiled at her. _

_Ava smiled back and turned on her heal. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." Ava recited perfectly, turning around to face Carlisle as he stared at her in awe. _

"_1 Corinthians 13:4-8." They both finished together, while relished in the fact that she knew the bible verse by heart._

"_Whenever I think of that verse, I think of you and Esme." Ava added before exiting the room. _

Edward chuckled and shook his head. "That's where the cross came from?" Edward asked, a small smile toying his face.

Ava nodded and took out the necklace as she examined the matching earrings. "It did. I finally have the Cullen crest." Ava was astonished, it was beautiful.

Esme handed Ava AJ while she took the necklace from her hands and walked behind Ava. "You finally have the Cullen crest. You have the stars, that resemble you and the twins, the Crucifix that resembles your father, and the crest that resembles the whole family, and the heart that resembles your mother."

Ava let out a sub as she turned to hug her mother.

It felt as if she was officially part of the family, although she was since the day, she joined them. She was grateful for the cards she was dealt, knowing that it was all going to make sense one day.

Today was that one day.

* * *

**Once again, would like to thank every single one of you guys for the support and love you guys have shown. I will forever be grateful, and I do hope you guys stick around for my future stories. **

**xoxo**


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